


The Winds of the Past

by HalcyonEve



Series: The Winds of Adonea [1]
Category: Rune Factory (Video Games), Rune Factory 4
Genre: Adventure, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-15
Updated: 2015-03-18
Packaged: 2018-03-13 00:09:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 76
Words: 207,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3360482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HalcyonEve/pseuds/HalcyonEve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a terrible accident deprives a young warrior of all memories except for her name, she finds herself torn between two lovers who have lost their own pasts. A bond of love and friendship is forged between the trio as they pursue a common enemy that threatens their new homeland. Then finally her past returns to confront her, threatening to destroy all that she holds dear. Part One of The Winds of Adonea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based on the video game Rune Factory 4, but with some original characters and locations. The female protagonist, Frey, is renamed Avani in this story. The game plot provides the background for the first part of the story, though I've taken some liberties with it. Many of the original character's names and some other names and terms are based on Sanskrit, and many of the original locations and cultures are inspired by south Indian and Sri Lankan culture, but they are nonetheless entirely fictitious. 
> 
> If you enjoy this story, I have a growing collection of supplemental short stories in the same series, as well as sequels planned. Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Warning: this story contains potential triggers, especially in the second part.
> 
> Disclaimer: Rune Factory 4, many of the locations and characters in the story, and the game's plot belong to Neverland Co. and XSEED Games. The story plot and some characters and locations are my own invention.

My last real memory of the time before was of _her_ eyes. Glistening with tears that she refused to shed, their image was seared into my mind as I was led away. I remember nothing of the binding ceremony, other than a brief, searing pain and a blinding light. And then… I dreamt.

How long I lay bound, dreaming, I do not know. Several centuries, I believe, but I have yet to reckon the actual passage of time. She was gone by then, of course. She exists only in my memory—a memory I could not forget, would not let myself forget. It was my pleasure, my pain, my punishment for a love that had been given and not returned. I had caused young Maria so much pain, it was only fitting that I suffer, too.

I lay in a deathless dream state for many, many lifetimes. I dreamed of many things, some of which perhaps were real. I dreamed of my dear friend, Ventuswill, the Divine Wind as she was called while I lived, and perhaps those were not dreams at all. Perhaps some of her thoughts reached me, lost though I was to her. I had doubted that I would ever see my friends or family again, but I had been willing nonetheless to make my sacrifice to protect the God, as was my duty as a Dragon Priest as well as my desire as her friend.

Therefore, I was taken by surprise when I found myself waking from my long dream. At first, I was aware only of a brilliant, diffuse light, confusing my eyes, unaccustomed as they were to use. Then I felt a tugging sensation and realized I was being drawn. Turning towards the source of the pull, I saw a large portal. Bewildered and unsure what was happening, I looked around. That was when I first lay eyes on her.

Kneeling only a few paces away was a young maiden. She seemed to have only finished a battle, as she leaned heavily on a mighty sword. A shield lay at her feet, as though she had just dropped it there but a moment before. I had never seen anyone quite like her: long, flowing hair the color of the pale green sweet melons of my childhood, eyes the color of sea-green beryl, and pale golden skin like the lightest honey. She knelt there panting, blood seeping from a score of wounds, scorch marks marring her skin and clothing, her armor dented and long skirt tattered. Tears sparkled in her eyes like dewdrops in the morning sun as she looked at me. She smiled, and it was like the sun breaking free from the clouds and casting a glorious ray upon me, though the smile itself was bittersweet. “Tell them…” she said in voice that was musical despite expressing exhaustion bordering on collapse. “Tell Venti what happened here, please. And also, tell her thanks for being my friend—it was fun.”

I barely had time to process that this slip of a girl was not only a warrior but my apparent rescuer when I was pulled into the portal, exclaiming “You…” before it closed and she vanished from sight.

I was transported to the courtyard of a stone castle, stumbling to the ground as the portal vanished behind me. The courtyard was full of strange people, a crowd gathered as for some event. A collective gasp went up as I appeared, and when the portal vanished, the people around me cried out in confusion and dismay. Someone helped me to my feet, and I looked around, leaning heavily on the man who assisted me. My body was as yet weak from years of disuse, and even standing was not yet easy.

As I tried to get my bearings, the man supporting me turned and looked me straight in the eyes, his expression fierce and his eyes desperate. “Where is Avani? Tell me what happened to her!” he cried, gripping my shoulders tightly with his powerful hands.

A handsome, aristocratic young man stepped forward, and exclaimed in a reproving voice as he placed a hand on his arm, “Dylas! Calm yourself. I know you must be concerned, but your impatience will not help her.” The golden-haired man turned to me, saying, “Pardon me, stranger. Are you Leon, lately of the tower of Leon Karnak?”

Surprised that this stranger would know my name, I nodded, saying, “Yes. I am Leon. Where am I, or more to the point, _when_ am I? Who might you be, and how do you know my name?”

He smiled as he explained, “You are in the city of Selphia, in the kingdom of Norad. I’m afraid our calendar would be meaningless to you, as it is believed to have changed several times since your time. However, I believe that you have lain asleep in the tower of Leon Karnak for at least half a millennia, quite likely more. That can wait until later. I am Prince Arthur of Norad, and I know of you from the Lady Ventuswill, who sent our finest warrior to rescue you from the tower.” His face became anxious then, as he asked, “But tell me, Leon, what of the Lady Avani? Clearly she succeeded in her quest, as you stand here before us, yet she failed to return with you as promised.”

“Venti… is that Lady Ventuswill? Is she really still alive?” I asked, hope rising in my chest that we had succeeded after all, that my sacrifice had not been in vain. “I’m afraid I can’t tell you much. I dreamed… for how long I cannot tell. Then I suddenly found myself awakening. There was bright light, and I found myself being drawn into a portal. A little ways from me was a girl with green hair and eyes. She appeared to be wounded and beyond exhausted, and her eyes were full of sorrow. She asked me to tell Venti what had happened, but to be honest, I don’t really know what transpired there.”

“Yes,” Arthur said, “I think you had better come to see the Lady Ventuswill now. Hang in there, Dylas. Perhaps there is still hope,” he said to the distraught man supporting me.

I turned to face him, and as I looked at him, I realized that he had some unusual features. His hair was blue, and it flowed not like a man’s hair, but more like a mane, with the sensitive, pricked ears of horse on either side of his face. His brooding eyes were hazel, and he wore black clothing with blue and mauve accents, and numerous straps and buckles that reminded me somewhat of equine tack. As we walked, I felt something brush the back of my leg, and looking back, I was surprised to see a blue horse’s tail swishing back and forth in agitation.

Then I noticed _another_ tail… and a moment later, I realized it was _mine_. A thick, full tail, like a bushy fox’s tail, only the fur was a pale silvery-blue. That was when I became aware of a peculiar sensation on my head, and reaching a hand up, I realized that I had large, pointy, fox-like ears instead of _human_ ears. I stumbled with surprise at this realization, and Dylas grabbed my elbow to keep me steady. He noticed my look of surprise as I gingerly felt around my ears, and said, “Yeah, man. Looks like you got it, too.”

“Got what exactly?” I asked, and he gave me a small half-smile.

“We former Guardians seem to have retained some… traces of our monster forms. My hair and eyes changed color, and I’ve got the tail and ears and this mark on my face. Dolce doesn’t seem to have acquired anything so obvious, but she woke up skilled with sewing and knitting—things that involve strings, that is. Her monster was kind of a puppet or a marionette. And Amber has butterfly wings and antennae. You’ve got the ears and tail and those marks on your face, at least, and you might find some other things have changed, too.” I opened my mouth to ask him more questions, but he shook his head, saying, “Save it for later. We’re here.” And with that, he opened a large, heavy door, and we stepped through.

The great hall of the castle was large and open to the sky above. Perched on a central dais was Venti, her green and gold scales sparkling in the morning light shining through the open roof and her colorfully feathered wings stretched out in the sun. “Leon!” she exclaimed as I entered her chamber, propelled forward by Dylas. “It’s been many, many years, my dear old friend. I’m very happy you have returned.”

“Venti,” I replied with a smile. “Indeed it has, or so I am told. It’s good to see you. You’ve grown quite a bit since last I saw you.”

“Well, I was still quite a young dragon in your day, you know. I’m so grateful that Avani was able to rescue you. Speaking of whom, where is she? Was she wounded? Is she being tended at the clinic?”

Dylas pushed past me, saying, “Venti, Avani didn’t return! When the portal opened, only Leon came through. We don’t know what became of her. She must be trapped in the Forest of Beginnings—you have to let me go find her!”

“The Forest of Beginnings? Didn’t come back? What is going on?” Ventuswill cried.

“My lady,” Arthur said as he stepped forward from behind us. “An imbalance in the runes contained within Leon Karnak created a rift of some sort, causing the interior of the tower to somehow merge with and engulf the Forest of Beginnings, like some sort of portal perhaps. To reach Leon, Avani had to enter into and traverse the Forest. She would not have been able to return via normal means. However, the Alvarnan scholar, Barrett, was able to provide her with an artifact that should have allowed both her and Leon to safely return by creating a portal to the town. But for some reason, she did not accompany him home.”

Venti reared up in distress. “You allowed Avani, a _human_ , to enter the Forest of Beginnings?” she roared. “Do you have _any_ idea what that can _do_ to her? She must be found, and swiftly, _if_ she still lives! Leon! Did you see her? Was she alive? Can you shed any light on this incident?”

I shook my head, saying, “I’m sorry, Venti. I did see her there, or I _assume_ it was her—a waif with green hair and eyes and with a sword that looked much too large for her to lift. She appeared wounded, but I could not guess how gravely. I saw her only briefly. Before I was pulled into the portal, she asked me to tell you what happened there at the tower, but truthfully, I don’t know. She also said to say these words to you: ‘Thanks for being my friend—it was fun.’”

At that, Venti keened loudly, then lashing her tail in agitation, firmly reprimanded me. “Show a modicum of respect, Leon, even if that _isn’t_ your forte. That ‘waif’ rescued you single-handedly, and she had to have defeated both your guard foxes as well as your Guardian form to do so, not to mention whatever other monsters she encountered along the way. She is far, _far_ stronger than she appears, both inside and out.”

Then she was quiet for a moment, her head swaying from side to side and her eyes half-closed in concentration. “Yes,” she said after a few minutes. “I sense her, or at least I sense the charm I gave to her. I will go and bring her back… if I am able. No, Dylas, you will stay here. This is something that you cannot do—that no human can do. Avani has done much for me; now the time has come for me to return the favor.” With that she rose up on her hind legs and, with a powerful thrust of her wings, soared up and out of the chamber.

Watching Venti vanish from sight, I suddenly felt weak and light-headed, and swaying, nearly fell against Arthur where he stood next to me. “Oh, Leon,” he exclaimed, steadying me. “I _am_ sorry. You must be exhausted. Let’s get you to the clinic so the doctor can have a look at you, then we’ll get you some food and get you settled. This has been quite a day for you.” I nodded, smiling at the understatement.

Arthur helped me to the clinic, and leaving me in the care of the physician, Jones, he went to arrange lodging for me. The doctor was a friendly, kind man, and he soon pronounced me fit—just in need of some rest, he said. He seemed unfazed by my unusual features, but if there were others like me, he’d be accustomed to odd appearances by now.

He allowed me to borrow the large mirror in his lodgings above the clinic, and I gazed in fascination at the changes wrought by my lengthy fusion. Large silvery-blue fox ears replaced my own, even retaining the small, jeweled ear-ring I had worn near the top of my left ear before. A bushy tail of the same pale fur swished behind me. I could feel them and use them, though they still felt strange to me. My hair had also changed from the ebony it had been before my transformation to the same silvery-blue shade as my fox fur. Tattoo-like markings adorned my face, all of a brilliant turquoise color except for a red dot in the center of the mark on my forehead. My skin was still the same bronzed shade as before, my eyes were still the same piercing shade of turquoise blue, and I wore the same clothing that I had worn to the sealing ceremony, even still carrying the ceremonial peacock feather fan that I had held. My appearance had definitely changed—and I found that I liked it.

Arthur arranged for me to stay at the inn, which was run by an attractive woman named Lin Fa and her petite daughter, Xiao Pai. I thanked them and promised to repay their kindness when I was able, though they both brushed off my concerns. Soon after I was settled in my room at the inn, Dylas, despite his palpable anxiety, delivered the food that Arthur had ordered for me from the nearby restaurant. I thanked him and intended to ask him in, hoping to discuss his earlier comments about other Guardians, but he darted away without a word as soon as he’d handed the package over to me.

 I was curious about this strange young girl whom everyone seemed so agitated about—I could hear the tension in everyone’s voices, feel it in the small groups of villagers I had passed, huddled together talking on the streets as I passed them on my way to the inn. But for now, I needed to eat and sleep, and so I did.


	2. Chapter 2

I was awakened after a short sleep— I guessed no more than an hour, from the change in light—by a sudden, resounding outcry from the street below. I looked out the window and saw some of the townsfolk frolicking in celebration while others ran towards the palace. I guessed that Venti had succeeded in her mission, and I decided to go and see this girl for myself.

It was not difficult to find my way to the castle courtyard, since I just went with the flow of the crowd and soon arrived there. However, it was not easy to get through the crowds of people that filled it. Jubilant cries such as “She’s back!” and “The Princess has returned!” filled the air, young men and women danced joyfully, and even their elders seemed inclined to join in.

At the main entrance to Venti’s chamber, a grey-haired, muscular man in a palace uniform stood guard. He held a massive war hammer easily in one hand, leaning it against his shoulder. Despite his tough demeanor, his eyes were noticeably moist with tears. When I approached the door, he recognized me, saying, “Sir Leon! You’re just in time. My Lady Ventuswill has returned in triumph!” And with that he burst into a cacophony of tears as he stood aside to allow me to enter. I gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder and opened the door.

I stepped in just as my presumed savior slid down from her perch on Venti’s neck. A ray of brilliant afternoon sunlight shone through the open roof onto her, enveloping her in a dazzling golden glow. She hugged Venti tightly around her neck, holding her for a moment, both apparently unaware of my silent observation. I smiled to myself, glad to see Venti looking so elated. To see her alive and well and happy after so long made everything worthwhile. Just then, Venti turned her head a little and noticed me standing there. She actually appeared to blush as she pulled away from the girl, saying, “Oh! Leon! You, ahh, surprised me. That’s enough, Avani, you are quite welcome. No need to make such a fuss. This, as you are surely aware, is Leon—the first of the Guardians, and my friend.”

The girl turned and faced me, looking me in the eyes with a steady, direct gaze that contained more than a little humor and intelligence. I was uncustomarily disconcerted to find that she was no mere girl at all, but entirely woman—and a very attractive one, at that. Her slender frame made her seem more juvenile at first glance, but I now saw there was nothing child-like about the figure before me, even half-hidden by her armor as it was. I looked down at her, momentarily speechless as I made a mental adjustment, then I held out a hand to her, saying rather formally, “It would appear that I owe you a debt of gratitude. I am called Leon, lately of the tower of Leon Karnak, Dragon Priest to Ventuswill, the Divine Wind.” Venti chortled at my formality, but I ignored her and continued. “Will you tell me your name?”

She removed a heavy leather gauntlet and placed an impossibly delicate hand in mine, saying in a serious voice, though her eyes sparkled, “I am called Avani, and I am the Acting Princess of Selphia. There is no need to thank me, as I was keeping a promise to Venti. If anything, you should thank _her_ , as well as the other Guardians, as they, too, helped to keep her alive all those centuries until you could be rescued.” She looked over to Venti and then back to me, saying with a smile, “I should leave you two alone. I’m sure you have a quite a lot of catching up to do.”

Feeling both intrigued and mischievous, I firmly held the hand that she attempted to remove from my grasp, saying with a smile, “There’s no need to leave on _my_ account.”

She gave me a half smile, saying, “That’s very kind. But there _is_ need to leave on _mine_.” She swayed a little, closing her eyes wearily, and with a mental kick, I remembered her injuries.

I was about to offer to help her to the clinic, when Dylas burst through the chamber’s entrance, a wild, frantic look on his face that quickly dissolved into relief as he beheld the object of his search. He straightened up and strode into the room, attempting to appear nonchalant, and exclaimed “Avani! I see you made it back. N-not that I was _worried_ or anything….” Venti gave a loud snort, causing him to turn bright red and look away.

“Dylas!” Avani exclaimed, smiling up at the tall young man as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. “I’m so _very_ glad to be back. I… I was afraid I’d never see you again. Why don’t we go and leave these two to catch up? I’m dying to get out of this armor.” Again she swayed, nearly falling over this time.

Dylas caught her, saying, “Hey! You’re hurt! Let’s get you over to see Jones.”

Leaning against him for a moment, she shook her head, saying, “I’ll be fine, really. I just need some food and rest. I can heal myself once I’ve regained the strength to do so.”

Dylas sighed, saying, “Have it your way. In that case, I’ll cook you a good meal and then get you into bed.” She grinned up at him mischievously, and he blushed scarlet again, snapping, “ _Idiot_! So you can _rest_!”

She turned again to me, her eyes sparkling most enchantingly despite her exhaustion, and she held out her hand as she said, “It was a pleasure to meet you, Leon. I’m so very glad you’re here. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance to you as you adjust to life in our village.”

I took her hand and, on an impulse, kissed it, saying, “The pleasure is mine. Thank you again for coming to my rescue.”

As I looked down into her weary face, it was transformed by a perfectly dazzling smile that left me speechless for the second time in less than an hour—an unprecedented occurrence. “Until later, then,” she replied. “Venti, I’ll be in my rooms if you want me.”

With that, Dylas gently scooped her up in his arms—armor, weapons, and all—and carried her away through a side door. I watched them as they departed, her arms clinging to his neck as she rested her head tiredly against his shoulder, until the door closed firmly behind them, the lock clicking audibly.

That’s when I knew I was in trouble.


	3. Chapter 3

Over the next few days, I saw Avani quite often. She made a point of coming and talking to me, asking me about my prior life and my interests and bringing me home-cooked meals that offered a pleasant change from dining out. She introduced me to the townsfolk and helped me to get settled into my new home and new life. I was able to find work with Arthur as a translator, since languages long dead in this time had still been in use in mine. It was… a desolate feeling—this discovery that what had been my present was now the ancient past, half-forgotten even by the scholars in this age.

However, Avani helped dispel some of that sense of isolation with her frequent visits. I found that behind her pretty face was a bright intellect and a lively sense of humor, and we quickly began to enjoy a comfortable, teasing sort of friendship. I loved trying to get a rise from her by saying outrageous things to her, and sometimes she was even able to pay me back—with interest. However, though she did enjoy teasing her friends, she was also incredibly compassionate and kind-hearted. I had thought at first that her attentions to me were unique, but I soon learned that she treated me just as she had the other Guardians—indeed, as she treated everyone. She was constantly helping others, showing kindness in a thousand little ways. In most people, the same activities would have labeled them a busybody or a goody two-shoes, but Avani had such a gracious, generous nature that it only endeared her all the more to those around her.

A few days after my rescue, she approached me, all suited up in her newly-repaired armor, and asked how I was feeling that morning. I teased her, naturally, saying, “Why don’t you come closer and feel for yourself?”

She blushed as usual, but maintained her serious demeanor as she suggested that perhaps I felt recovered enough for some physical exercise. Things were getting serious with the kingdom’s aggressive neighbor to the north, she said, and she wanted to ensure that I’d be fit and ready to help if a crisis came.

I raised an eyebrow, and said, amused, “And you think _you’re_ the one to train me? Well, I suppose I _am_ a bit bored today, so if you want me to tag along and protect you, I suppose I could accommodate your request.”

She just snorted and tossed some gear to me. “Here, put this on. You’ll need more than just your bare chest and clever tongue out there on the plains.” I suited up, and we headed out the city gates.

Avani had provided me with chainmail, a small shield, and a simple but sturdy spear. I still recalled some of the spells I’d learned back in my days as Dragon Priest, and I seemed to have acquired some new ones—perhaps another artifact of my time spent as a Guardian. But physically, I knew I was not in peak condition after my long slumber. I determined to do my best to meet my would-be mentor’s expectations. And it _would_ feel good to get back in shape again, though I was skeptical that this delicate bloom of womanhood was the one to help me achieve that goal.

Oh, how wrong I was!

She pushed and _pushed_ me that day, standing back and letting me do the fighting. She apparently was quite a warrior after all, and could use some magic spells, too. I discovered the latter several hours later, when, during one battle against a horde of goblins, giant tortas, and weagles, I was sent flying by a blast of strong wind from the large birds’ powerful wings, lying helpless with the wind knocked out of me as several goblins leaped to attack me.

Suddenly from behind me came a loud battle cry, and a blur of green and silver shot past me, sending the advancing monsters flying through the air. More than half of them were vanquished before they even hit the ground, their bodies vanishing in a flash of light as they were returned to the Forest of Beginnings. Then she called out an incantation, and I felt a powerful burst of energy surging through my body as my wounds closed and healed before my eyes. I dispatched the remainder of the enemy, and turned to her with a new respect. “Not bad, not bad at all,” I said, a little too weakly for my liking. She gave me a half smile, then gripping my arm, she called out another incantation that transported us back to town.

We had been out for close to ten hours by this time, and I was exhausted. Seeing that I was barely able to stand, she repeated the incantation, and we were transported into her rooms in the palace. Pushing me into a chair next to a stone fireplace, she disappeared through a doorway, shedding a trail of gear as she went. Soon I smelled mouth-watering fragrances, and shortly afterwards she re-emerged, carrying a tray of freshly prepared food and drink, including some of the grilled fish I particularly loved. I was surprised when all she took was a mug of some steaming, fragrant drink, pushing the tray towards me.

“Don’t you eat?” I asked in surprise, as I reached for a skewer of still-sizzling squid.

“Of course. I eat _mountains_ of food. I have a really high metabolism, and I train a lot. But I ate a big meal before I came for you, and since I didn’t particularly exert myself today, I haven’t yet depleted my stores of energy. This tea is really all I want right now. But thanks for your concern,” she replied, smiling as she blew on her steaming mug to cool it. I shrugged mentally as I dove in. She was a very good cook, though I was hungry enough that it wouldn’t have mattered if she wasn’t. I ate everything she brought except for the hunk of cheese. I’d never cared for milk products—they were just too bland for me.

“By the way,” she started as I finished my first squid and reached for another, “where are your foxes? I was surprised they didn’t follow us.”

I choked on my bite, then washed it down with a long drink of the juice she’d brought with my meal. “Say _what_?” I said when I’d recovered.

“Your foxes. I was asking you where they were. I haven’t seen them at all today.”

“You… you mean you’ve seen them _before_?” I said slowly, astonished.

“Of course,” she replied, looking surprised by my reaction. “I _do_ have eyes, you know.”

“Most people do,” I replied drily, “but _not_ the sort that can see my foxes.”

She looked puzzled, saying, “What do you mean?”

“My foxes are spirits,” I explained, “the spirits that inhabited the pair of statues set up to guard the doors into Leon Karnak where I—where Sarcophagus dwelt. As they are spirits, somehow assigned to be my companions and guards, no one besides me can see them. At least, so I had believed… until now.”

“I _know_ they’re spirits,” she replied, startled, “they told me so themselves. The red one said his name is Sano, and the blue one said his is Uno.”

“Hold it,” I said, even more surprised. “You mean… they _talk_ to you, too? You not only can see them, but you can talk with them?”

“Well… yeah. Is there something wrong with that? I apologize if I did something I shouldn’t have,” she said, biting her lip and looking worried.

I shook my head. “No, it’s not that. It’s just… I’m not sure how it is that you can both see and talk with them. No one besides me should be able to do either, let alone both. What else do they say?”

“Not a lot, not yet anyway. I mean, mostly just idle conversation. I did ask them once if they knew how long you’d been locked in the tower, but they don’t really seem to mark the passage of time in a useful manner. Uno said that as they now had seven tails, they must be between six and seven centuries old, and since they were ‘born’ when you were locked up, that must be how long you slept there. But that was as close as they could get.”

I thought for a minute as I took a bite of the chewy grilled squid. “I don’t know why it is that you can communicate with them. Perhaps you have some connection with them because you conquered them, or because you defeated Sarcophagus and rescued me. I do know that they speak of you with a good deal more respect and admiration than anyone else in town, except possibly Venti,” I said with a grin, remembering some of their naughtier comments. “Anyway, returning to your original question, I told them to stay in town and keep out of trouble. They’re probably asleep on my bed right now. I didn’t want them coming along and running off out in the wilderness. As with all foxes, they are rather prone to mischief.”

Avani grinned, saying “Well, you know what they say about pets resembling their owners….”

* * *

 After finishing the meal, I helped her clear the table. As she began to wash up, I asked with a grin, “So… Selphia has the good fortune to be governed by a princess who is not only a fine warrior, but also cooks, farms, forges, _and_ cleans? Tell me, is there anything you _can’t_ do?”

She grinned back at me, saying “Yep: dry the dishes. That’s _your_ job tonight,” as she tossed a towel to me.

I laughed and began to dry the dishes as she washed and rinsed them. “Seriously, though. Is there _anything_ you can’t do?”

She didn’t answer at first, just kept washing, slowly as if turning some thought over in her mind. Then she turned to me with sorrowful eyes and replied, “Yes. I can’t remember.” She turned quickly back to her washing, but I caught a glimpse of a tear glittering in the corner of her eye as she did so.

“Ahh, that’s right. Venti mentioned your amnesia. Well, hang in there. Your memories may come back in time,” I replied.

She shook her head slowly, saying, “I don’t know. It’s been a year and a half, and I still haven’t remembered anything from before my head injury. I don’t even remember how I was hurt, other than having a sore head and being told I’d been struck with a sword. Everything before that moment when I awakened on the airship is just a blank. I don’t think I’d even know my name except that as I woke, I thought I heard an echo in my mind as if someone had just been calling it. But maybe I was just dreaming that—maybe this isn’t even really my name. I have no way of knowing for sure, except… it just _feels_ like my name. I respond to it when someone calls it, just as one naturally does with one’s name.”

“Interesting,” I mused out loud. “Your name, Avani—it _sounds_ foreign. But clearly _you_ aren’t—your mastery of the language, both spoken and written, as well as your accent proves that. Perhaps one or both of your parents were foreigners. Well, if I come across anything that might be helpful, I will certainly let you know. Until then, you seem to have carved out a nice life for yourself here in your short time: a home, plenty of work to keep you busy, good friends, and even a devoted lover. Or at least I _assume_ Dylas is your lover, from the way he behaved when you didn’t return from Leon Karnak.”

“Yes,” she replied, handing me the last of the dishes. “I rescued him a little more than a year ago, and although he was hostile towards me at first, with time we became friends and eventually lovers. Living in this town has done wonders for him. He’s really opened up a lot, though he still has a long ways to go.”

“I’m not sure the townsfolk can take _all_ the credit there,” I said below my breath as I handed her the dried dish and the towel.

“Hmmm? What was that? I couldn’t hear you,” she said, looking at me uncertainly.

“Oh, nothing. I’d better be on my way. I expect I’ll sleep well tonight. Thank you for the training and the meal. I’d like to do this again, if you have the time.” With that, I departed for my room at the inn, where, as I’d predicted, I did indeed sleep well.


	4. Chapter 4

Avani approached me late the next morning as I fished in a canal, Dylas following close behind her. Today it seemed we would be a party of three. I had no objection, since I found him rather entertaining. He was such an easy target, especially regarding both Avani and his arch-rival, Doug, a dwarf who evidently had moved into town only a few weeks before Avani’s sudden appearance. Dylas was not the brightest candle in the chandelier, but he was very strong—and although socially awkward, his affection and concern for Avani as well as others in the village was evident. Apparently he’d been training with Avani since shortly after his rescue, much as I had now begun to do, and now he was easily the strongest man in the city—perhaps even stronger than Venti’s butler, who was powerful indeed. If it came down to it, he and Avani would be formidable opponents for any who considered attacking the town. And I intended, should that come to pass, to be ready to stand with them to defend my newly adopted home.

Dylas and I spent the next several days training, shepherded by Avani, who stood back and let us fight and only joined the fray if she felt that things were getting out of hand. I wondered how she managed to keep in such excellent condition when she did so little fighting herself. It wasn’t until later that I learned that, after returning us to town, healing and feeding us, and sending us home to sleep, she’d venture out into the wilds to fight alone and unaided against the creatures of the night.

Dylas learned about it after catching her returning well past midnight one night, and I found him scolding her in the courtyard the following morning for taking such risks—a scolding that seemed to both annoy and amuse her rather than persuade her. Although I privately agreed that it would be far wiser for her to take a companion, I also realized that doing so would present some difficulty, given her skill level compared to the rest of the townsfolk. Even Forte, the Dragon Knight of Selphia, was no match for her. So as I strolled up to them, I took her side, pointing out to Dylas that while she was certainly brave and strong, she also was not given to foolish risks as a rule, and even if she did get in over her head, she knew how to cast an Escape spell. Then I smiled my most condescending smile at him and commented that he must be completely addled by his love for her if he couldn’t see that. That sidelined the discussion effectively, as Dylas turned red and sputtered flustered denials. Avani sighed and turned to walk back to her rooms, and Dylas and I followed, he still grumbling a little. She tossed some new equipment to both of us—she’d been working on her crafting and smithing skills it appeared, though when she found the time I couldn’t imagine. We suited up in our new gear and headed out.

“Your skills are improving nicely,” she said to me as we left the city walls behind us, “so I think today we’ll attempt something a little more challenging for you. There have been reports of trouble by travelers in the vicinity of the old haunted mansion in the western plains, so we’ll go clean it out and try to make the road there safer, at least for a while. You’ll be facing a variety of monsters, including some spirit creatures and a marionetta—the type of monster that Dolce was bound to as Guardian. Dylas will be your backup, and I will be his. Ready?” I nodded, and at that, she took off at her usual pace—a brisk run. That was tiring in itself: running over all manner of terrain fully equipped. But it was also good for my stamina, so I didn’t complain… much. I also had the sense that, as fast as the pace seemed to me, she was holding back so that we didn’t fall too far behind.

The battle through the old manor house was tough, but I felt I had acquitted myself well. Avani nodded her approval as I stood where the last stricken monster, the marionetta, had vanished in a column of light a moment before. She had needed to heal me a few times, and Dylas had delivered a few blows himself, but I had done most of the fighting. In order to better insure the safety of travelers, we turned around and fought our way back out of the mansion, cleaning up the monsters that had escaped us before. Then we returned to the city gates, planning to go to her rooms to clean up and have a late meal, as was usual after training.

However, as we approached the town’s fortified wall, we could hear voices raised in anger. Avani stopped short, her brow furrowed as she listened. “I wonder what’s going on,” she wondered out loud, though in a low voice. “I hear Forte and Doug, but there’s a third voice I don’t recognize.” Motioning us to keep quiet and well behind her, we silently entered the town.

In the courtyard, we saw a trio facing off, with Forte confronting a stranger in a foreign armored uniform with her longsword drawn. Doug stood to one side, his own short sword drawn, looking ill at ease. The stranger was shouting at Doug, something about honoring his agreement and implying he’d been acting as a spy, when suddenly the old lady that had taken Doug in, Granny Blossom, appeared. She scolded the soldier for making wild accusations and trying to turn us against each other, shaking her cane angrily at him as she spoke.

Before any of us could react, the soldier snarled a curse and lunged with his sword drawn at the frail old woman. Doug, who had remained mostly silent in the face of the soldier’s tirade, cried out and leapt between Blossom and the soldier’s weapon, taking a heavy blow that knocked him to the ground. Fortunately, he was alive, though wounded and bleeding. The soldier stood over him, gloating as he said, “So, I guess you figured out that it was _us_ that killed your tribe, not that dragon. I hadn’t thought you were clever enough to see through our little ruse!”

Doug looked at him blankly, saying, “You _what_?”

The soldier laughed, replying, “Ahh, so maybe I gave you too much credit after all! Yes, _we_ exterminated your people, not Ventuswill—we told you that in order to convince you to spy for us. Well, no matter _why_ you turned against us, you _know_ what we do with traitors!”

Avani gasped, then she leapt forward, crying out Doug’s name, and, standing by Forte’s side, she turned to face the stranger. To everyone’s surprise, he looked at her and began to laugh. “So!” he sneered, “Somehow you survived your little fall from the airship, eh, Avani? I didn’t think you were that tough!”

“Who are you, and how do you know my name?” Avani asked slowly in a cold, steely voice that sent a shiver down my spine.

Unperturbed, the soldier again laughed. “Me? Why, I was the one tasked with appropriating the rune spheres that you carried. My underling was the one who pushed you off the airship, although he has been… _dealt with_ for that transgression. I had hoped to gain much useful information from you, you see,” he replied mockingly.

“Stop right there!” Forte interrupted before Avani could reply. “I don’t know who you are or what you hope to accomplish, but you have attacked an innocent citizen of Selphia. You must now accompany me to the castle, where you will be detained to face criminal charges.”

“Ha ha ha! Oh, that’s rich!” the soldier guffawed. “You—detain _me_? When I hold the power of a rune sphere in my hands?” With that, he pulled a glowing blue orb from a pouch fastened to his belt.

Everyone gasped at the sight of the large blue stone glowing brilliantly in the night, and Avani stepped forward, asking angrily, “Where did you get that?”

“Oh, this? Why, you so kindly left these lying unattended out and about in the wilderness, so I simply helped myself. This was the last of them. Yes,” he sneered as shock and horror registered on our faces and Avani quivered with barely-suppressed rage, “your poor, dear Ventuswill. She must have slipped into a deep sleep by now—one from which she will _never_ awaken. Ah well, all good things must come to an end, even the Gods themselves. And as for you—see now, the power I control!”

With that, he held the orb up high, and shouting an incantation, he summoned a massive gate with a burst of blinding light. When the light faded, a large red dragon crouched before us, hissing angrily as it lashed its massive tail. Calling out another incantation, the soldier disappeared as he and the dragon were pulled together and merged. “Now! Show me what you are made of, Earthmate! For we will surely exterminate all of your kind!” he roared in the dragon’s voice.

Dylas and I leapt forward, weapons drawn, and without taking her eyes off her enemy, Avani shouted, “Granny, Doug—get to safety! Now! Go! Dylas, Forte, flank him! Leon! Stand back—you’re not yet strong enough for this battle, so I’m relying on you for healing and spellcasting. Stay out of his attack range, _no matter what_! Let’s go!”

As she quickly shouted her instructions, she crouched, gathering strength for her powerful longsword attack, then lunged forward in a blur as she unleashed a mighty, slashing blow that penetrated the dragon’s armored scales and sent it staggering back with an enraged shriek, blood seeping from the gash across its chest and one of its forelegs dangling uselessly. She whirled and executed a series of aerial spin attacks that turned her sword into a whirlwind of devastation across the beast’s back and wings, rendering it incapable of flight.

Meanwhile, Forte, who was certainly courageous but far less experienced, lunged straight for the beast’s heart, despite Avani’s instructions to flank it. The dragon swiped its good foreleg at her, using its large claws like a massive war hammer and knocking her flying across the courtyard. She lay, stunned and gasping for air, and I quickly cast a healing spell on her. She rose to her feet, staggering slightly, and shook her head to clear it before charging again. At the same time, Dylas had been aiming a series of powerful kicks and punches at the monster’s sides, preventing it from attacking effectively as it continually staggered under the barrage of blows.

As it began to weaken, the beast’s head swung side to side and it hissed angrily, snapping its huge jaws at Avani and Dylas, who, despite their fatigue from the day’s training and the weight of their equipment, moved too quickly for it to find purchase. I could see that Dylas was wounded, though, despite his alacrity, and Avani appeared to be slowing as well, so I cast a healing spell on all three of the fighters. Then seeing the monster rear up on its hind legs, standing over Avani and opening its jaws for the attack as she fearlessly held her sword ready and crouched in preparation to lunge forward, I cast an Earth Spike that knocked the tiring beast to its side. Avani catapulted through the air, sword held high above her, and with a mighty cry, she plunged her sword deeply into the beast’s neck. It bellowed in fury, shaking her off with a last frenzied effort before it succumbed to the tamitaya spell of her weapon and vanished in a stream of light, leaving only the wounded and weakened soldier behind.

I ran to Avani, who struggled to her feet, the wind knocked from her, helping her up and casting another healing spell on her before assisting Dylas, who had been knocked from his feet by the monster’s tail as it had thrashed convulsively. Forte ran towards the soldier, but she, too, had been caught in the animal’s final struggle and was not able to reach him before he rose and fled through the gates, shrieking enraged threats of retribution and destruction as he disappeared into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

Forte, Dylas, and I all looked at each other in consternation at the soldier’s escape, but before we could say anything, Avani cried out in anguish and ran towards the castle. We all followed as she burst into the castle’s great hall, but we held back in the doorway, shocked by Venti’s weakened appearance. “Venti!” Avani cried as she ran up to the dragon. “Venti, are you okay?”

To our relief, Venti slowly raised her head, looking at Avani with eyes that dully swirled blue and green. “Do I _look_ okay to you?” she replied tiredly. “If so, you’d better get your eyes checked. What happened? I heard a commotion.”

Avani flew to her, throwing her arms around the dragon’s neck as she simultaneously laughed and cried. “Whoa, hey now!” Venti protested, though I could see that she was pleased by the display of affection. “Don’t fuss so, silly child. Tell me what happened.” Avani released her and gave her a brief summary of the night’s events.

Venti settled back down on her perch with a weary sigh. “So… the Sechsons are getting more aggressive. I’m sorry I couldn’t help. I feel oddly feeble tonight.”

“But Venti, don’t you see? They’ve stolen the rune spheres! That’s why you’re feeling weaker!” Avani exclaimed, looking distressed. “I don’t know what they plan to do with them, but I feel like trouble is brewing—something big.” She chewed her lip and scowled, lost in thought. “Well, whatever their plans are, I’m not going to just let them get away with this,” she exclaimed fiercely. “I _will_ get those rune spheres back for you, Venti. I swear it!”

“Now wait just a moment!” Venti exclaimed, alarmed. “What if something happens to you? You don’t know what you might be up against.”

“It doesn’t matter, does it?” Avani replied, gently caressing the dragon’s neck as she rested her forehead against it. “We all need you, and you need the spheres. So they must be recovered at any cost. And I’m the best suited for the job—you know I am. Just hang in there, Venti. It will take time to complete my preparations. If I just go running off half-cocked, there’s no way I will win.”

“I’ll ‘hang in there’, you foolish girl, if you promise you will return safely to me this time,” the dragon replied wearily.

“I swear I will. Now please rest and conserve your energy so you can get better. I mean, who else can I tease and argue with like I do with you? So take it easy, okay?” Avani said, leaning her cheek against Venti’s head.

Venti’s eyes softened as she replied, “Of course. Who else but me is going to put you in your place as you so often need? And who else but you will brighten my days with your cheeky speeches? Now, leave me. I need to sleep….” And with that, she lowered her head and appeared to slip into slumber.

Avani slowly stepped back, so as to avoid disturbing her, then as she turned, she saw us there and blushed with the realization that their conversation had been overheard. She placed a finger on her lips and motioned us to follow her to her rooms. After closing the heavy door quietly behind her, Forte said she would have to inform Arthur of the night’s events and prepare a report for the capitol. Avani gave her a hard look and suggested that as soon as she’d spoken to Arthur, she stop in at the clinic and have Jones see to her. “The report can wait a little longer—it can’t go out until tomorrow at the earliest anyway. So please, Forte, take care of yourself. We need you.” Forte’s impassive expression didn’t change, but her eyes were smiling as she nodded agreement and took her leave.

Avani turned to face Dylas and me. “Well, you two. Things have taken an interesting turn. I need to talk to Doug, but first things first. Are you okay? That was quite a fight. You both did well.” After reassuring herself that we were not seriously injured, she told us to get out of our armor and tend to our equipment while she fixed something for us to eat.

I had not yet seen her eat any substantial amount of food, and so I had been skeptical of her claims of eating “mountains” of food, chalking it up to the usual feminine exaggeration of portion sizes. So when she brought tray after tray of food, piling food on the low table before the fireplace, I assumed she thought Dylas and I would somehow eat that much food.

Then she began to eat.

I quickly realized she had, if anything, understated her appetite. She devoured most of the food herself, even going back to fetch more trays of food. There were such large quantities that Dylas and I had plenty to eat as well, but she easily ate twice as much as the two of us together consumed. Dylas noticed me staring at her in fascination and laughed. “Never seen her really hungry before, I take it?” he said with a grin. “Yeah, it’s pretty scary the first time.” Avani stopped eating long enough to aim a kick at his leg that he easily avoided. “You should have seen her put it away after she rescued you—I could hardly cook food fast enough. Seriously, I don’t know where she puts it. She has not a spare ounce of fat on her anywhere—I can vouch for that!”

He lowered his voice, looking at her with a fondly teasing look as he said in a stage whisper to me, “I think she has a gate in her belly and all that food is really going to feed the monsters of the Forest.” Glaring at him, Avani threw a roll at him. He caught it deftly out of the air and ate it, tearing off pieces of it to swipe up the swirls of assorted sauces left on his plate. “Now you just watch. She’ll stuff herself silly and be hardly able to move afterwards. Then she’ll lie down and sleep for, oh, about 20 minutes—maybe as much as 30 since she’s fatigued, too. Just a short nap. Then she’ll wake up completely recharged and raring to go.”

“Dylas! Will you stop that please? You’re making me sound like a barbarian! And after I went to the trouble to bring you your favorite foods, this is the thanks I get?” she scolded, menacing him with a skewer of grilled squid.

“Oh, and who is going to be cleaning up that huge mess I _know_ you left in the kitchen while you sleep it off?” he replied teasingly as he batted her skewer aside with a raw carrot.

She threw her hands up in mock defeat before eating up her squid and turning her attention to a platter of fruit and cheese. “Leon, I’m so sorry you have to sit here trying to enjoy your food while listening to this oaf cataloguing my glaring flaws. Please don’t let that stop you from eating as much as you want, though—are you getting enough? There’s more—I generally keep my kitchen well stocked.”

I laughed, enjoying their banter—perhaps even envying it a little. “Yes, I’m getting plenty. Thanks for all the grilled seafood—you must love to fish.”

She laughed, rolling her eyes in mock dismay, saying, “Well, I kind of _have_ to—if I didn’t fish, I’d never see Mr. Bait-for-brains outside of training! I swear he loves fishing more than _anything_.”

“Hey!” Dylas protested. “That’s not true!”

“Oh?” she replied with a gleam in her eyes. “Then tell me, which do you love more—me, or fishing?” Dylas, taken off guard, sputtered and stumbled incoherently. Avani smiled a saccharine smile at him and said, “Too late—time’s up.”

She finished the last bite of salad on her plate and stood up. “Well, I have to give him some credit—he’s at least right about the need for a short nap after I eat like this. So if you both will excuse me. No, no—please stay. No need to leave on my account. Eat what you like, and help yourself in the kitchen,” she added as I started to rise, uncertain if I should leave. “And I can wash my own dishes just as soon as I’ve rested. So no need to exert yourself on my account,” she said to Dylas, a mixture of vexation and affection in her eyes.

She stepped over to her wardrobe, vanishing behind a decorative screen for a moment before emerging wearing a light chemise as she headed for her bed. Dylas and I finished eating, discussing the events of the day in low voices, then he went to wash up the mess, despite her protest. I gave him a hand, surprised at how quickly and efficiently he moved until I remembered that he worked in Porcoline’s restaurant. Given that man’s appetite on top of how busy the restaurant was, I felt certain that this mess was nothing in comparison. Dylas was technically a server, but I’d seen him cooking and cleaning as well, apparently willing to lend himself to whatever task lay at hand.

Afterwards, he helped himself to some more milk, heating it up until it was scalded and steaming, and offered some to me. I politely declined, saying I’d never cared for dairy goods. He then offered me some tea instead, which I accepted. He also poured some juice into a glass, saying that he figured Avani would be waking soon and that she’d appreciate a refreshing drink. We stepped out into her main room and found her still sound asleep, curled up in her bed, looking surprisingly childlike as she slept.

Dylas set the juice and his milk on the low table before the stone fireplace in the sitting area where we’d dined earlier. He motioned me towards the chair I’d taken before, and quietly stepped over to check on Avani. He tenderly brushed some hair from where it had fallen over her closed eyes, gazing down at her with adoring eyes. As gentle as the gesture seemed, it was enough to waken her, and her eyelids fluttered open as she smiled up at him.

She stretched, then reached her arms up to Dylas and pulled him down to her for a kiss. He pulled hastily free from her embrace, turning red and sputtering in embarrassment, and she sat up, sleepy confusion on her face. “What’s wrong, Dylas? Why are you acting so shy all of a sudden?” Then she saw me sitting there and turned a little pink herself. “Oh! I’m sorry, Leon. I didn’t realize you were right there.”

“So it would seem,” I said, smiling in amusement as I sipped my tea.

She flushed a little pinker, then shrugged, saying to Dylas with a laugh, “Well, at least I only tried to _kiss_ you. It could have been a lot worse!”

“Idiot! Don’t say things like that around other people!” Dylas hissed at her, his face scarlet.

She laughed again and stood up, reaching for the ceiling in a tremendous stretch. “Ahh! I feel so much better now!” And indeed, she looked completely recovered, all evidence of hunger and fatigue erased. She drained the glass of juice that Dylas brought to her, then darted over to her wardrobe and emerged a minute later fully dressed.

“Now let me clean up the kitchen and we’ll get over to see Doug,” she said, heading towards the kitchen.

“We, uhh, already washed up for you while you slept. So let’s just get over to the clinic and see what he has to say for himself,” Dylas said, looking a little sheepish at her surprised expression. She grinned at him and pulled him over to her for another kiss, despite his embarrassed protests, and we headed out.


	6. Chapter 6

When we arrived at the clinic, Doug’s small room was already full of visitors. Granny Blossom, Arthur, Jones, and Jones’ wife and nurse, Nancy, were already gathered there when we joined the crush, making seven of us in total packed in around the bed. Doug was conscious, and Avani squeezed in and knelt next to his bed. “Hey, are you okay, Doug?” Avani asked as she looked at him, her eyes concerned.

“Yeah… I guess,” he replied, not meeting her gaze. “I’m so sorry, though. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t reported in with them… if I hadn’t just blindly believed their lies…. I’ve caused everyone so much trouble—especially you and Venti.”

She took his hand in hers, saying, “Listen, Doug. It’s okay. It isn’t your fault. They manipulated you. If you’re guilty of anything, it’s just of being too trusting—and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. So just get better, okay? You’re our friend, and we’d all be devastated if anything happened to you.”

“Avani… thanks.” he replied, looking at her for a moment before looking away again, tears in his eyes. Avani stood up, still holding his hand in hers as she said,

“Doug… is there anything you can tell me that might help me to find them?”

Doug quickly looked back at her, mouth agape. Arthur exclaimed in surprise, and Granny gasped. “You can’t mean… a-are you seriously…?” Doug stuttered.

“Yes,” she replied, quietly but firmly. “I’m going to track them down. And I’m going to get those rune spheres back.”

“But hold on, Avani, you don’t seem to realize how risky that will be! These people are dangerous—completely ruthless!” Doug protested.

“Yes,” Arthur agreed, “It certainly will be risky. Who knows what they are plotting?”

“Exactly!” Doug said, struggling to sit up. “You can’t just take off like that!”

“I have to,” she replied. “For the very reasons you gave to deter me, I _must_ go. We _need_ to get those stones back. Besides,” she added with a smile, though I saw a faint glitter of tears in her eyes, “I made a promise to a dear friend. So please, Doug, tell me anything you can that will help.”

“Just a minute, Avani,” Arthur interrupted before Doug could reply. “You aren’t going. I am.”

Avani whirled around to face him, shocked and disconcerted. “What?” she exclaimed, searching his face for any sign of jest.

“Remember, Avani, I am a Prince of the realm. Surely you haven’t forgotten that?” he said with no trace of humor in his vermillion eyes.

“No, of course not, but….” Avani replied, apparently at a loss for words.

“This is my duty as Prince of Selphia. I appreciate your help in taking on the day-to-day responsibilities as the Acting Princess, Avani, but there are limits as to what I will and will not ask you to do in my stead. And we have reached one such limit.”

Collecting herself, Avani stepped up to Arthur, and genuflecting before him, she looked up earnestly into his face and said, “Arthur, my Lord and Prince, I implore you, allow me to do this. The Sechs Empire has invaded our kingdom. Our town may be in grave danger. Someone must inform the king. Only you can do this, as a Prince of Norad. I do not have that authority. Someone must arrange for the defense of our city. Again, you are the one who can do this—not me. I bear the title of Acting Princess only at your indulgence; I have no claim to any of the authority of royal blood. Forte, as the Dragon Knight, is needed here to take charge of defense. I am strong—the best fighter in town; you know this is true. I can do nothing to aid Selphia and Venti but fight. So I ask you—no, I beg of you, as your subject and as your friend, let me fight. _This_ is what _I_ can do—what I _must_ do.”

Arthur, startled by her impassioned petition, reached down to her and raised her up by her hand, saying with a small sigh, “These things are all true, but….”

“Please, Arthur. You’re the only one who can take care of the town in this time of need. And you know you can trust me to keep my word,” she said, a fiercely determined glint in her eyes.

“I see that you intend to go no matter what I say,” he said, after giving her an appraising look, “so I may as well give you my blessing. All right, Avani. I ask you to accept this quest on my behalf. But in return, you must give me your word that you will come home safely, whether you succeed in your mission or fail.”

“I swear I will return,” she replied. “It will take me a little time to prepare; I will inform you as soon as my preparations are completed.”

She turned back to Doug, and asked again, “Is there anything you can tell me that might help me to find them?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Doug replied, “South of the ruins of the old Water Shrine is a bridge heading west to Sercerezo Hill, the spring lands. The Sechson army established a secret research facility of some sort there. That’s all I know—I don’t know exactly where. But… I would expect if they are doing research there, that it’s very dangerous. Who knows what they might be hiding? So please… Avani… be careful….” With that, he sank back into his pillows, utterly drained, and immediately fell into a deep sleep. Arthur, Avani, Dylas, and I all left as quietly as we could.

Once outside, Avani said, “Arthur, I’ll talk to you tomorrow about our plans. For now, I think we all need some sleep.” Arthur agreed and departed for his rooms.

She turned and headed back to the castle and her rooms, so lost in thought that she apparently didn’t even notice us behind her until she turned to close the door behind her. She started, then gave a half smile as she apologized for her inattentiveness. “You two should get some sleep. It looks like things are serious, and you’ll need to be prepared for whatever may happen.” I nodded agreement and, bidding the two of them good night, departed for my room, leaving them alone. However, several minutes later, as I walked along the street to the inn, Dylas bolted past me towards the restaurant where he shared living quarters with Porcoline and Arthur, looking preoccupied and frustrated.

The next morning as I sat at my desk poring over a scroll that I’d been commissioned to translate, Dylas burst into my room. I looked up in surprise; although he and I had established a friendly working relationship over the past several days, he had never called on me for any reason, social or otherwise. Without preamble, he said, “It’s like this. Last night, I told her I want to come with her when she goes searching for the rune stones. I don’t want her to go alone, facing who-knows-what without anyone to back her up. She did that when she went to rescue you… and I thought I’d lost her forever. I don’t want anything like that to happen again. But she refused.

It’s the same old argument that we always have, like that time you caught us fighting over her going out to train alone at night. We’re both stubborn, so when we don’t see eye-to-eye… well, I guess it turns into a battle of wills then, and we lose sight of what we were fighting over in the first place. I wish I could find a better way to persuade her, but I’m not very good with words, and all I seem to be able to do is fight.”

He paced around my room for a few moments, then he turned back to me, saying, “But I don’t intend to give in this time. This is different—we’re not talking chipsqueaks and orcs here. In fact, we don’t even know _what_ we’re talking. So I intend to train and get as strong as I can on my own while she makes her preparations, and then I’m going with her, whether she likes it or not.”

I looked at him appraisingly, then said, “I see. Your lover must mean quite a lot to you if you are willing to risk both your life and your relationship with her for her sake.”

He blushed and looked away, stammering, “Ahh, well… s-she does, b-but not only because we’re lovers! I mean… she was my first real friend here, you know? For that matter, my first real friend _ever_ , other than Venti. I know she rescued me because she’d been asked to deal with my Guardian form and that it wasn’t anything to do with me personally. And maybe I kind of resented her for rescuing me at first—I kept thinking that I hadn’t _asked_ to be saved. But… but she kept coming to see me, asking after me, wanting to get to know me no matter how much of a jerk I was to her. She never gave up. No matter how many times I walked away, she’d always find me again. And… before I knew it, I found myself looking forward to seeing her and even missing her if something kept her away. I… I found myself wanting to do better, to _be_ better—partly for myself, but mostly because I wanted to see her smile of approval. And so before I knew what had happened, we were friends. And for me, _that’s_ the most important thing. I mean, the… the other’s great, but I know I don’t really have anything to offer her in the long run. She’ll probably find someone perfect for her someday, and it’ll be over between us then. And I know it sounds weird, but I… I _think_ I’m okay with that. I think I’ll be happy that she’s happy, and I’ll be grateful for the time we had together. Even if it doesn’t last, I’m glad to have been accepted for myself, just as I am, for once. Even though I was really self-conscious about my changed appearance, especially the… uh… horsier aspects, she never seemed put off by my appearance. Not even after… when we… uhh… well, you know. So I’ll always be glad she came into my life, whether she stays with me or leaves.”

I was surprised by his lengthy speech, given that he was normally so reticent. But I appreciated his candor, and said, “If you ask me, that sounds a lot like love. But of course, you didn’t ask me.”

He shot me a nervous glance, saying, “Hey, you won’t tell anyone what I said, will you? Especially not Avani! I… I don’t know why I told you all that. That’s… not really like me.”

I just smiled and said, “Well, remember that I was the Dragon Priest in my era. I’m accustomed to people confiding in me. So… what is it you want from me, regarding your difficulties with your lover?”

“Oh, yeah. Well, aside from me, you’re probably the best choice to accompany her. So I wanted to know—do you want to join me? I mean, train with me and then follow her when she goes, whether she wants you to or not? I may not be as good a trainer as she is, but still….”

I leaned back in my chair, and looking him in the face, said “So… you’re asking me if I want to risk my newly-regained life and limbs chasing after a more than capable warrior whom I hardly know to offer whatever small assistance I might be able to provide and that she almost certainly doesn’t want?”

“Oh… well, when you put it like that…. Just… never mind. I don’t know why I bothered,” Dylas said, looking angry and disappointed as he turned to leave.

“Sounds fun,” I added with a grin, and he spun back around, caught off guard by my unexpected concurrence. “When do we begin?”


	7. Chapter 7

Avani was kept extremely busy over the next several days, between her normal duties as Acting Princess, her farm chores, and the added pressures of planning for her mission and for the defense of the town with Arthur, Forte, and Volkanon. What little free time she did have she seemed to spend improving her skills, both combat and smithing. The few occasions that I saw her over the next week or so, she looked strained and exhausted, yet she kept going, always with a cheerful smile and a kind word for everyone she met.

And no matter how busy she was, she still took time to help those in need. She visited Doug at least once a day as long as he remained in the clinic, as well as after he returned home, taking him his favorite foods to cheer him up. She also took meals to Blossom, as well as continuing to bring meals to both Dylas and me as usual. She even helped Blossom out at the store, helping the elderly woman with any heavy lifting whenever she stopped by with a meal or to purchase supplies.

She also made a point of participating in the festivals that arose during her preparations, correctly surmising that it would boost everyone’s spirits to see her smiling face as she presided over the celebrations. Meanwhile, Dylas and I kept up our clandestine training, improving our skills as rapidly we could, pushing ourselves to our limits and beyond.

* * *

 

Very early one morning, nearly a week after the confrontation with the soldier, Dylas showed up, his armor and weapons in hand. He informed me that Avani was preparing to leave that very morning to begin to scope out the terrain for any sign of the research facility. I groggily dressed and grabbed my own gear, and we hurried over to Avani’s rooms, where we found her packing a bag with food and other supplies.

She looked up as we walked in, saying, “Oh, hey, guys. You’re certainly up early. I was going to come and say farewell as soon as I was ready to go.”

“What, so you could catch us unprepared and leave us behind?” Dylas said, angrily, dropping his gear and facing her.

“That’s not…. Well, all right, maybe that _was_ why,” she said, setting her bag down on the table. “Listen to me, both of you. I have to do this. I gave my word to Venti. But neither of you are obligated to join me on my quest. And I can’t ask you to risk yourselves like that.”

Dylas walked over to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Now _you_ listen to _me_ ,” he said firmly. “You made a promise and you need to keep it. Plus naturally you want to protect the town. That’s cool, I respect that. But I’m coming with you, whether you ask me to or not. Not because I feel obligated, but because I _want_ to—I want to protect the town, too. And… well, it’s natural to want to protect those you care about, isn’t it? You can’t expect me to just sit around and do nothing when everyone and everything I care about is in danger. You would never do that—you _know_ you wouldn’t. So don’t even think that I would.”

“Dylas….” she said looking up at him with a surprised face.

“Besides,” he added, “Leon and I have been training pretty hard this past week. I think you’ll find we’ve come a long ways. Don’t you think so, Leon?”

“Yes, I feel that we have both improved quite a bit,” I replied.

Avani looked at me and frowned thoughtfully. “Dylas I can see taking… _maybe_. But you, Leon… I don’t know. You’re not as strong, nor have you been in town long enough to have developed ties to it like Dylas and I have. I can’t see placing you in danger like this, although I confess it would be nice to have a magic-user along.”

I raised an eyebrow at her and replied, “You doubt me? I may not have been here very long, yet I already feel attached to this town and many of its residents. And I’ve been friends with Venti longer than anyone alive, don’t forget. Besides, it would be insufferably dull to stay behind and let the two of you have all the fun,” I added with a grin.

Avani stared keenly at me for a minute, then she relaxed, saying with a laugh, “Okay then. You both can come with me. But keep this in mind—if you get into trouble, you are to cast Escape to get your hide out of there pronto. If either of you gets yourself killed, I’ll never forgive you.”

She grabbed her bag of food and dropped it into her refrigerator, then turned to us and said, “Well, if you’re coming with me, I’d better see to improving your equipment. So I’ll delay one more day. Spend the extra time preparing yourselves—from the look of it, neither of you even thought to bring food, let alone medical or camping supplies. Come back here around 17:00 or so, and we’ll see what I can do with your weapons and armor.”

“I’ll, uh… I’ll handle the food, since I’m not a bad cook,” Dylas said, turning towards the door. “If it won’t be in your way, I’ll just leave my gear here. Help yourself to it if you need any of it for your smithing, okay?”

She nodded, then as he started to leave, she grabbed his arm and pulled him down for a kiss. “H-hey!” he protested, turning red.

“Just saying thanks,” she replied with a grin.

“Well… I hope you don’t thank _everyone_ like that,” he grumbled.

“Of course not!” she said, looking slightly aggravated as she gave him a push towards the door.

“And I’ll gather first aid supplies and camping gear,” I added with a laugh at Dylas’s embarrassment and chagrin as he left.

“Thank you, Leon,” she replied. “That would be great. You can look through the supplies I already have here to see what else is needed.”

“What—no kiss for me?” I asked her teasingly as she turned to head towards her smithy and crafting room.

She turned and looked at me with laughter in her eyes, saying, “And if I gave you one, what would you do with it?” Then she turned and ran lightly up the stairs without waiting for my reply—which was just as well, as I had none.


	8. Chapter 8

I looked over the supplies Avani had packed and decided that while she was well outfitted for camping, she had nothing to spare. With the addition of Dylas and myself to the expedition, I’d need to obtain more of nearly everything. After I’d finished my evaluation, I went to my room to pack my things and to check in on Sano and Uno. Next, I headed over to the clinic and spoke with Nancy regarding the medical supplies needed for our mission. She assembled a first aid kit for us to take along, complete with medicinal herbs, tinctures, bandages—everything we might need. Finally I went to Blossom’s store to purchase the additional camping supplies. On a whim, I also purchased a small block of chocolate, justifying it to myself that it would be a useful source of quick energy, although I knew deep down that I had only bought it because I wanted to surprise Avani with it later, just to see her radiant smile. I tucked it into my rucksack, grabbed the rest of my purchases, and headed over to the castle just as the shadows were lengthening.

Dylas was already there, taking a look at some new heavy gauntlets that Avani had reinforced and modified with sturdy spikes along the knuckles. He had slipped them on and was curling his hand into a fist, admiring her handiwork. Before, he’d had only plated gauntlets, which had been effective enough on smaller targets, but less so against larger foes, and had been more awkward to use, too. They looked up as I walked in, dropped my purchases in a pile near the door, and strolled over to have a look at Dylas’s new toys.

“Oh, great timing, Leon,” Avani said, turning to grab a spear from behind her. “Here, take a look at this.” She tossed me a long corseque made of a length of strong, hard, straight wood and reinforced with metal bands along the length to the tri-tip blade at the end. A guard set with small blood-red stones surrounded the grip. It was a trifle coarse in design, but it looked sufficient for combat, especially considering the short time frame. I gave it an experimental swing and found it was well-balanced and lighter than it looked.

“It’s been imbued with elemental fire magic,” she explained as I gave the gemstones a closer look. “Dylas’s gloves have been imbued with water magic, my long sword with earth magic, and my dual swords with wind magic. So we’re pretty well set no matter what we go up against. I wish I was more skillful, but these are the best I could do on such short notice.” I nodded approval and thanked her. She had also improved our shields and procured some better-quality mail and boots. It seemed our preparations were all but complete.

“All right,” Avani said, after approving of my purchases—barring the chocolate, which I kept hidden in my personal belongings, “Leon, Dylas, why don’t you go say your farewells and meet me at Porcoline’s in about an hour? I need to finalize arrangements with Vishnal and Clorica to tend to my beasts and my farm while I’m away, and then I’ll find Arthur and meet you there. We’ll go over our plans with him one last time over supper, then we’ll get to sleep in preparation for an early start. See you soon, then?” We agreed and headed out.

Dylas walked in silence alongside me as we headed over to the part of town where the inn and restaurant were located. When we reached the inn, he turned to me and said, “Hey, thanks for coming. I know it’s not really your fight… but I’m glad to have you with us. I can tell you’re going to make a great fighter just from how rapidly you’re improving. And, well, I’m just glad Avani will have you there fighting with her, too, and not only me. I don’t know what we’ll be facing, and I don’t know if I’ll be strong enough….”

“Hey,” I interrupted, “don’t be so glum. I’m looking forward to this—it should be interesting. I think the three of us make a good team, and it’ll be a great opportunity to face some bigger challenges and hone our skills. See you in a while—and cheer up. Just look at it as a chance to take a camping trip with your lover, even if you _do_ have me tagging along.” With that, I headed into the inn. I bathed in the excellent bathhouse there, then I filled Lin and Xiao in on my plans, promising to return safely. They wished us luck in our quest, and I headed over to the restaurant, arriving just a few minutes past the hour.

Dylas was discussing something with Porcoline at the counter when I walked in, and over on the far side of the dining room, Arthur was just holding the door between the restaurant and his offices open for Avani as she walked on in. I noticed that as she passed him, he gave her a look of such unabashed admiration that I was startled by its intensity. I looked again at her, and was struck anew by her magnetism. She wasn’t exactly beautiful, not conventionally so anyway, or even quite pretty. But she had some inner fire that suffused her with its radiance. She stood straight and tall and walked with confidence, her figure trim and lithe, and while she didn’t fuss over clothes and makeup and hairstyles the way most young women seemed to do, she also had no need of artifice to enhance her natural appeal. Even if she might not be the most gorgeous girl in a room, she would surely be the one who attracted the most attention. So although I hadn’t realized that Arthur was enamored of her, neither did I find it very surprising. I was certain most men would find her irresistible. And I was equally certain Avani had no idea—she was far too naïve for her own good, I feared, though I also felt that her artlessness was part of her charm.

We gathered at one of the smaller, private tables, except for Dylas, who helped Porcoline serve the food. Or rather, he snatched the food away from Porcoline before he could devour it and delivered it to our table unscathed. I began to see why Dylas had such excellent reflexes—he had to move quickly in this place. I shook my head, thinking it couldn’t be an easy job. Once the food was safely delivered, Dylas joined us, sitting in the vacant seat opposite me. As we ate, Arthur and Avani went over details: the capitol’s response to the current crisis, the town’s fortifications, and Avani’s plans for seeking out the research facility. Dylas and I mainly focused on eating and listening; I was too new to this era to contribute much myself, and Dylas seemed to prefer to leave most of the planning to the others.

We finished our meal and wrapped things up, then Arthur departed for his rooms. Dylas began to say goodnight, preparing to retire to his room above the restaurant, but Avani stopped him. “No,” she said, “it’ll be better if you both sleep at my place tonight. Since I delayed a day, I want to leave extra early tomorrow morning. If we’re already together, we’ll be able to depart with minimal disturbance to others. So if you still have anything here that you want, go grab it and we’ll head back to the castle. We can stop by the inn, too, if you need anything there,” she added, turning to me as Dylas hurried up the stairs to his room.

“A few things, yes. I was expecting to return for the night,” I replied.

“That reminds me,” she added, “you can bring Sano and Uno if you want, but they might be better off staying here. If you bring them, it’ll be up to you to keep them under control—I can’t have them getting into mischief and attracting attention.”

“I’ll leave them here, though the little rascals might still follow me. Are you sure you have room for me to stay overnight, too?”

She nodded, saying with a smile, “Yes, there’s a very comfortable chaise in one of my smaller rooms—the one I use as a study. I think you’ll be fairly at home there among my books and scrolls. Anyway, Dylas slept there a couple of times before we became lovers, and he seemed to find it adequate, if a little on the short side for him.”

“I haven’t yet been given a tour of your suite, so I don’t know where this study of yours is. How many rooms do you have in that suite of yours?” I asked.

“Oh, a crazy number, really. Besides the main chamber, there are five interconnected smaller rooms, some of which haven’t been used in ages and are in need of a lot of cleaning and repairs before they’re usable. Still, it’s nice to know they’re there if I ever need them. And then there’s a series of three rooms in a cellar that I use mainly for storage—trophies, equipment, and so on. So I guess that makes nine rooms, and that’s not even counting my outbuildings.”

I admit I was surprised. Even Prince Arthur himself had only two rooms, though admittedly one of them was as large as Porcoline’s entire restaurant. Of course, it was originally the plan for him to occupy that suite of rooms in the castle, which would have been more befitting his rank. But he was the consummate gentleman and had insisted that Avani keep the rooms she’d been given by mistake—Venti had told me all about it during one of our chats. But I hadn’t realized that the castle, which had been built after my time, was quite so expansive.

Dylas returned a moment later, and we headed over to the inn. The baths were still open, so Avani told me to take my time—she wanted one last soak before departing. So I packed the last few things I needed, then spent a little time selecting a book to read, just in case I didn’t find anything of interest in her collection. I roused my foxes, who had curled up on my bed and fallen soundly asleep, and told them I’d be away for a few days and that they should remain there in my room until I returned. Fortunately, being spirits, they had no actual need of food or drink, though they were capable of consuming and even enjoying either. They yawned and stretched, then settled back down to sleep as I grabbed my things and headed to the stairs.

When I returned to the lobby, Dylas had finished his bath and was waiting for Avani to finish hers. He glanced up as I walked in and nodded to me, looking impatient. Bathing seemed to be her favorite indulgence—she visited the baths often, I’d noticed, and when accompanied by Dylas, he always seemed to finish long before her. Finally she appeared, radiant from the hot water and with her still-damp hair clinging to her shoulders and back. Dylas gave her a look that seemed a mixture of annoyance and adoration as he strode over to the vending machine to buy her a cold drink. She thanked him with a smile and sipped it as we walked towards the castle.

We took a route that passed the house Forte shared with her younger brother, Kiel, and she stopped to let her know that we’d be departing very early in the morning. We continued on to her rooms, where she told us to wait for a minute. She headed out the back door that led to her gardens, then returned several minutes later with a massive silver wolf following tamely at her heels. I must have looked surprised, because she laughed and explained that she was bringing the wolf, Baldur, to guard our campsite and also to use as a pack beast. He was easily the size of a sturdy pony, but I wondered how he’d respond to being treated like a beast of burden. Still, he seemed tame, even devoted to his mistress. He was apparently intelligent enough to understand and follow commands, as she instructed him to lie down before the fire and stay—and he did so with alacrity.

Next she helped me gather up my things and showed me to her study, up a flight of stairs situated between her bed and her wardrobe. She disappeared for a moment and returned with an armload of blankets and cushions. She bustled around for a few minutes, making up a bed on the sofa and building a fire in the small fireplace, and soon she had everything arranged to her satisfaction.

She disappeared for another moment, returning with a large pitcher full of water resting in a basin, and a towel and washcloth draped over her arm. She placed these on a small table near the door, then she picked up a slender taper resting on top of the mantle, lit it in the fire, and used that to light a pair of large pillar candles on a table next to the chaise. “There. I think that does it,” she said, pinching out the taper and returning it to its place before looking around at her arrangements. “Please feel free to help yourself to my books, and you know where the kitchen is if you find yourself hungry or thirsty. Just help yourself to whatever you want. Is there anything else you need before I retire?” she asked, looking at me.

“No… no, this should do nicely. Thank you,” I replied.

“Certainly. I’ll call you early, before sunrise. We’ll eat a quick breakfast and head out as soon as we’re able. Good night, Leon,” she said as she turned to leave.

“Good night, Avani. Sleep well,” I replied.

After she left, I changed into my pyjamas and strolled over to inspect her books. Although I had found her to be quite intelligent, I hadn’t expected our tastes in reading matter to be so well matched. I was a little surprised by the fine selection of books and scrolls in her personal library, nearly all of which appealed to me. I found one old volume of legends that especially intrigued me—legends which had sprung up since my time and thus were new to me—and settled down in the narrow but comfortable bed to read it by the light of the candles.

After a little while, a noise from downstairs drew my attention from my book. I set the book down and listened for a minute, hearing faint sounds but unable to determine their significance, when I noticed that the door had not closed completely behind Avani when she left and thus was slightly ajar. I opened the door to listen better and suddenly realized the cause of the sounds I was hearing from Avani’s bedchamber.

Feeling amused yet oddly unsettled by my discovery, I quickly but quietly closed the door and returned to my bed. I tried without success to get back into my book, but my concentration was shot after that distraction. I soon gave up, blew out the candle, and went to sleep.

* * *

 

I woke in the middle of the night, confused momentarily by the unfamiliar surroundings and feeling terribly thirsty from the generous portion of salted salmon I'd had earlier at the restaurant. I recalled where I was and that Avani had left a pitcher of water—but I found she had neglected to bring a glass. I cautiously opened the door and listened; all was quiet now.

I silently slipped downstairs to Avani's room. In the glow of the fireplace, I could see her wolf lying before the fire, remaining where she had ordered him to lie, yet alert as he watched me as quietly pass through. In her large bed, Avani lay curled in Dylas's arms, his chin resting on the top of her head, both soundly asleep. I managed to get into the kitchen, drink a couple glasses of water, and return without disturbing them. Either I was moving more silently than I thought, or they were _really_ worn out, I thought to myself as I closed the study door behind me. I was surprised to find that the thought was a slightly bitter one.


	9. Chapter 9

The next morning, before the sky had even begun to lighten, I was awakened by Avani shaking my shoulder. “Hey, sleepyhead. Time to get up and head out,” she said as I drowsily opened my eyes. She looked disgustingly refreshed and energetic. “Good morning,” she added cheerily.

“Nng,” I groaned. “Good morn… no. Just… no. It’s not even light yet, so I’m going to go with ‘bad night’ instead.”

She looked surprised as she asked, “Oh? Didn’t sleep well?”

“Yeah, well, _someone_ was a little loud last night, so no, not the best night’s sleep ever,” I replied testily.

“Ahhh, I see. Jealous?” she replied, teasingly.

Quickly recovering some of my good humor at the prospect of yanking her chain, I replied, “Well, so what if I am?”

“You wha…?” she said, looking at me uncertainly, blinking in surprise.

“So jealous that you two slept so soundly afterwards. Why, what did you _think_ I meant?” I asked innocently.

“Ugh,” she replied, grabbing a cushion and smacking my head with it as I laughed at the look on her face. “Save it for later, we really need to get a move on. And Leon—you can tease _me_ all you want, but if you tease Dylas about that even just a little teensy bit, I will never forgive you. He can’t take it like I can.”

“Yeah, sure….” I said with a mischievous grin, “Hey, seeing that he has a mane and tail, can I ask him if he’s also hung like a…”

“Leon!” she shrieked, smacking me again, harder, as I laughed. “Don’t you dare!” She stood up and gave me an exasperated glare. “Breakfast is in 5 minutes. Be there or we’ll leave you behind.” And she turned and stalked out the door.

I threw on my clothes as fast as I could and arrived just as she was dishing up. She gave me a quelling glance and placed a plateful of kippers, toast, fried eggs, grilled tomatoes, and sliced fruit before me, and another at her place. She set a large bowl of thick porridge and a pitcher of cream before Dylas, then poured coffee for all of us. She sat down and we dove in, eating quickly and in focused silence.

Afterwards, Dylas and I cleared and washed up while she set about packing the bags she’d designed and made for her wolf. First, though, she quickly filleted a fish, carefully removing the bones, and gave the raw fish to the beast to eat from a plate set on the kitchen floor while she packed. I was surprised by the delicacy with which the large monster ate his meal.

When the wolf was done eating, Dylas picked up the plate from the floor, stopping to pet his large shaggy head and scratch his ears as he did so. “So, he’s pretty friendly, huh?” I asked as I watched him.

“Well… no, not really,” he replied. “Only to people he knows well. He’s accepted me pretty well, because I’m here so much, I guess. And because, well, I suppose I smell a little like Avani—or she smells a little like me. And he knows Venti and the butlers well, and a few of her closest friends. But if a stranger were to walk in when he’s on guard duty… well, it wouldn’t be pretty.”

“I came down in the middle of the night to get a glass of water, and he was lying exactly where Avani had told him to lie down, but he was awake and alert, watching every move I made,” I commented as the wolf trotted out to the main chamber in response to his mistress’s call.

“Yeah, you’re lucky. If he hadn’t seen that Avani welcomed you in her home, he’d have been at your throat,” Dylas said drily.

“I guessed as much,” I replied, setting down the last of the dried dishes. “Well, if I’m going to be camping with him, I’d better get acquainted so that he doesn’t decide I’m a threat in the middle of the night sometime.”

“Yeaaah…. Better let Avani take care of that, though. She’s amazing with animals,” Dylas suggested as we walked towards the main chamber.

Avani was just fastening the closure on the second of two bags—similar to the saddlebags that horses used, but modified in size and shape to rest on a wolf’s frame better and to be attached to a harness. She called to the large wolf, who lay before the fire watching her, and he came quickly, frisking like an oversized puppy. She played with him for a few minutes, then ordered him to sit. She scratched his ears when he obeyed, then fastened his harness around him as he sat still, tail thumping wildly on the floor. She attached a pack on either side of the harness, then strapped the bedrolls to the harness across his back. With that, he was ready to go. We fastened on our armor, grabbed our equipment and packs, and we were off.

* * *

 

The sky was just turning light to the east as we left the gates and headed towards the sunrise. We had armed ourselves upon setting foot outside the walls of the town, since one never knew what you might meet out in the wilderness, such as crepuscular beasts of prey. We made our way cautiously to the ruins of the old Water Shrine, then turned south as Doug had instructed.

By midday, we’d discovered what we thought must be the path towards Sercerezo Hill, only to find it completely blocked by a peculiar growth of trees. We stopped for lunch and to examine the terrain. “This looks artificial to me, especially given that the Sechs apparently have been using this road until very recently,” Avani said, studying the small grove with a scowl of concentration as she munched an apple. “Well, there’s no helping it. It’ll have to be cleared, though that will undoubtedly take us the rest of the afternoon,” she said, tossing the core into the bushes and wiping her fingers on her skirt.

“Allow _me_ , Princess—I have been assigned that very task!” We all jumped, startled, only to find Avani’s personal butler, Vishnal, trotting along the path towards us. That explained the lack of reaction from Baldur, I thought—he knew the eager young man was a friend.

“Stand back and let me handle this for you!” he said as he drew two sturdy machetes. With our mouths agape, we stared as he dashed forward, slashing and hacking at the young trees until they were felled.

When he was done, he was panting and dripping sweat, but he’d cleared a path through in what must have been record time. “There, that should do it. Now you can continue on your way, Princess,” he said cheerfully.

“Is… is that something you actually train to do as a butler?” I asked in astonishment.

“Well… Mr. Volkanon instructed me especially for the occasion, so maybe not _exactly_ —but we butlers do whatever it takes to help our masters!” Vishnal replied with a wink .

“Wow, Vishnal,” Avani said slowly, looking amazed. “That’s… that’s incredible. Really. Tell Volkanon I’m _very_ impressed. And thank you! You saved us a lot of time and effort!”

“Of course—it’s my duty _and_ my pleasure to be of any assistance to you, Princess!” And he took off back up the path to the north.

“What the hell?” Dylas said, finally regaining use of his tongue. “Did that really just happen? Or am I still asleep?”

Avani looked at him with amusement, and said teasingly, “If you were still asleep, you’d be in my soft, warm bed with your arms around me. Are you? No? Then it must have really happened!”

Dylas flushed deep red, then shouldering his pack again, said, “Shut up! Let’s get going. And let’s hope that commotion didn’t attract any unwanted attention.” And with that, we were on the road again.

We crossed a bridge over a deep ravine and found ourselves in a land very different from the one we had just left. For some reason, some of the lands in the area had only one season all year. It had not been that way in my day, and I found the change very curious. I’d asked Kiel about it once, as he was well-versed in myths and legends. He’d replied only that he thought it had to do with some of the fairies that had begun to appear a few centuries ago. There were some tribes of the fey that had evolved to specialize in one or another of the elemental magics, and they had likewise formed a strong preference for a particular season. Once they became established in an area, the surrounding region would be permanently stuck in whichever season was that tribe’s preference. For example, he had said, the red fey specialized in Fire magic and preferred the weather and climate of autumn. So when they became established in the area west of the Selphia Plains, the surrounding environs were stuck in a perennial autumn. Because of that, it had eventually come to be known as the Autumn Road.

Sercerezo Hill was locked into a permanent springtime, with groves of cerezo trees eternally pink with fragrant blossoms, fields of flowers dotting soft new grass, and mild spring weather. It was a lovely place—if you were just there on a lark, at least. When we reached the far side of the bridge, Avani spotted some fluffy white woolies grazing and napping in a sunny meadow. She told Baldur to stay, and to my surprise, he did—dropping down on the warm grass and completely ignoring the small monsters ahead.

Avani slowly approached the nearest, who was grazing sleepily. She reached out a hand to stroke it… and the next moment was knocked flat on her keister. “What the…?” she exclaimed, startled. The small creature turned and lowered its head, preparing to charge at her again. I quickly cast a succession of sonic spells at it, catching the hostile creature in their blades and returning it to the Forest where it belonged.

Dylas scowled at her as he strode over to help her up. “Idiot! What did you think you were doing?” he scolded as she dusted herself off.

“Well… they were just so cute. And I’ve never had a wooly attack me like that before!” she protested.

“Dumbass. That wasn’t a wooly—that was a schmooly. Can’t you tell the difference? Schmoolies are bigger, hostile, and a lot tougher than their tamer cousins. Geez, it’s a good thing we came along—you’re just too naïve to be on your own, no matter how strong you might be!” he said, still scowling at her, his arms crossed over his chest.

She opened her mouth, an angry look on her face, but then she checked her retort and closed her mouth. After a minute, she said, “You’re right, Dylas. It was stupid of me. And I _am_ glad you’re here. Thank you.”

Caught off guard by her sudden about-face, he stammered, “Oh, uhh… well then. I-It’s no problem.”

Avani turned to me, saying, “And thanks, Leon, for dispatching it for me.”

“Oh, it was no trouble,” I replied with a wicked grin. “Though I’m sorry to send off something so cute as it was adorably kicking your butt. Oh, look! There’s another one over that way—maybe it can help you sit down again if you give it a friendly pat-pat!”

“Oh, shut up!” she replied, trying to frown, but unable to help laughing. “Haven’t you ever seen something so cute that you just couldn’t resist petting it?”

I walked over to her and patted her on the head, grinning as I said, “Well… maybe I have. Just once.” She turned bright red, and grabbing her bag, she called Baldur over to her.

* * *

 

We continued a ways farther along the path, clearing out several small but surprisingly tough monsters from the area. Then we stopped in a small meadow surrounded by a stand of sweetly-scented cerezo trees and decided to set up camp there. The shadows were lengthening by then, and soon it would be twilight.

Dylas had already claimed the job of camp cook, so he got to work, utilizing a large fallen tree and a broad tree stump as a makeshift work area. As Avani removed Baldur’s baggage, she asked me to start a fire while she cleared the site. She whisked around, moving quickly as always as she brought me stones to make a fire ring, pulled greenery from the surrounding area, and stacked small branches for kindling close by. Then she grabbed an axe and strolled off in search of firewood, her faithful wolf at her heels. They returned a short while later, carrying loads of large branches and logs. She made a few trips in total, returning each time with more logs and branches. She placed the three largest logs around the fire ring to use as seating, then she chopped the rest into firewood. Meanwhile, Dylas prepared a simple stew, simmering it in a heavy pot suspended from a tripod over the low fire. As he stirred the stew watchfully, Avani brewed a pot of coffee and sliced some dense bread.

When the stew was ready, she pulled out three bowls, then an extra large, shallow bowl. “Hungry?” I asked with an amused look. She just rolled her eyes and ignored me as she ladled piping hot stew into the large dish, then moved to one side to stir and blow on it as Dylas filled the other bowls. He poured three mugs of coffee and set slices of bread on the edges of each bowl.

By then, Avani decided that the stew in the large bowl had cooled enough, and she placed it on the ground before Baldur. She stroked his head, and he licked her hand appreciatively before sniffing at the bowl. I watched in fascination as he reached his huge muzzle down, delicately picked out a morsel, flipped it up into the air and caught it again neatly, devouring it quickly before repeating the whole process. Avani noticed me watching, and laughed, saying, “I don’t really _need_ to cool it at all—Baldur knows how to cool his own food to the temperature he likes. The hotter it is, the higher he tosses it. I’ve never seen him burn his mouth. But I do it anyway, just because.”

We sat on the logs around the fire as we ate. The stew was quite delicious—I was impressed at Dylas’s skill, and I even told him so. He smiled—a rare genuine smile—and said he’d learned a lot from Porcoline, though he thought he still had a long ways to go.

Avani finished first, then rose and grabbed a pair of large skins she had brought for water. She’d filled one earlier while searching for wood, but it’d been emptied in the course of meal preparation and for a drink for her wolf. She told us to stay and finish our meals while she took Baldur for his walkies and fetched more water. Dylas looked uncomfortable at the idea of her heading out in the dark with only her wolf, but nodded agreement.

“His ‘walkies’?” I asked after she had vanished into the twilight shadows.

“Yeah….” he replied slowly. “Trust me, if she ever asks you to take her pets on walkies with her… don’t. Especially the big ones. And if you _do_ go anyway, be _very_ careful where you step….”

I grinned at him, saying, “Sounds like pretty specific advice there.”

“Yep,” he replied, swiping up the last of the gravy in his bowl with the last of his bread as I laughed.


	10. Chapter 10

Dylas was just starting to get antsy at how long Avani had been gone when we finally heard her wolf approaching in the distance. I had no doubt that he could move silently if he wanted, but right now he was frolicking like a massive puppy, even with two large, heavy skins of water strapped on his back. Avani was laughing at his antics as they stepped into the light of the fire, which we had built up against the chill of the night. She removed the water skins and passed them over to Dylas, then she grabbed Baldur’s head and shook it roughly side to side, speaking in a funny high-pitched growly voice to him as he whined and thumped his massive tail on the ground, licking her face ecstatically. Then she gave him a hunk of dense bread to gnaw on, and he settled down just at the edge of the circle of light from the fire.

Dylas sat back down on his log, and she sat on the ground next to him, laying her head against his knee and wrapping her arms around his leg as she looked into the flickering flames. He looked down at her, and an uncustomarily tender look came into his eyes as he gently stroked her hair. “Tired?” he asked in a soft voice.

“Uh-huh, guess so. We had a really early start, and we were up so late last night,” she replied drowsily.

Dylas flushed red, saying, “Oh, uhh… sorry about keeping you up….”

She looked up at him, blinking in surprise, then she realized what she’d just said and smiled, saying, “Are you? I’m not.” Then she lay her head back on his knee and closed her eyes.

“Hey, don’t fall asleep like that!” he protested after a moment as her breathing began to slow. “Neither of us will rest well if you do.”

She sighed, rose a little unsteadily, and went to wash her face. She returned rather slowly and pulled something made of white cloth out of her pack. Then to my surprise, she started to strip off her clothing right there in front of the fire.

“H-hey! What are you doing? Don’t do that here!” Dylas exclaimed, turning red again.

She looked at him in sleepy confusion, saying, “Why? I mean, it’s not like you haven’t seen…”

“Not _that_ , you idiot!” he interrupted hastily, “We’re not alone—or did you forget already?”

“Oh! I see,” she exclaimed looking over to me. “I’m sorry, am I making you uncomfortable, Leon?”

I grinned, saying, “Nope, not in the least.”

“Well, that’s okay then,” she said, and attempted to loosen the laces of her tunic with fumbling fingers.

“No, it’s _not_ okay! I wasn’t worried about you making him uncomfortable, dammit!” Dylas said in exasperation. “I was worried about what he might see!”

“Oh?” she said, then paused again for a minute. “Hey, Leon?” she asked, looking at me. “Have you ever seen a naked woman before?”

I laughed—I couldn’t tell by now if she was teasing Dylas unusually hard, or if she just really was _that_ tired, but I found it all pretty damn funny either way. “Well,” I replied, still laughing, “yes, as a matter of fact, I have seen a few in that state before. Dragon Priests were not expected to be celibate, at least, not in _my_ time we weren’t.”

“So that’s fine,” she said turning back to Dylas. “He already knows what women look like naked.”

“He doesn’t know what _you_ look like!” he protested, turning an even deeper shade of red.

“I don’t think it would take much effort to _imagine_ what I look like naked, though,” she said turning her attention back to her laces.

“That… that’s not the point! Or, okay, it _is_ the point! I don’t _want_ him imagining _you_ naked!” Dylas shouted, flustered.

“Well, correct me if I’m wrong…” she said sleepily, stifling a tremendous yawn, “but if Leon is a man, he probably already has. I mean, isn’t that pretty common? For men to imagine what women look like naked? Leon, you _are_ a man, right?”

Laughing even harder, I replied, “Last I checked, yes. Want me to check again, just to be sure?”

“No, that’s all right. I’ll take your word for it,” she replied, trying to suppress another huge yawn.

“H-hey! Not _all_ men are like that!” Dylas protested.

“Oh? You mean you never imagined me naked before we became lovers? Not even once?” she asked him, looking genuinely surprised.

“W-well, I-I…. Shut up! Just… shut up! Come with me. I’ll keep an eye on you while you change over there where it’s dark.”

By then I was gasping for air, I was laughing so hard. But I still managed to call after them, “I’m sure you’ll keep a _very_ close eye on her while she changes!”

From the shadows, his voice shouted back, “Shut up already! Don’t you _ever_ stop laughing? Geez!”

* * *

 

While they were gone, I changed into pyjamas and spread out my sleep roll. I built up the fire for the night, and by the time I’d finished with that, they’d returned, Avani wearing a cotton chemise and Dylas carrying her clothes for her. She really did look about ready to drop as she stumbled along, and he kept a steadying hand on her to keep her from falling. He spread out her sleep roll for her while she knelt next to Baldur. “Who’s a good boy?” she cooed as she scratched his ears. “Guard, Baldur,” she instructed him, as he whined and wriggled.

“Oh, that reminds me, how do I make friends with your pal there? I don’t want him mistaking me for an enemy in the middle of the night,” I asked, watching her caress the giant beast.

“Oh, well, I don’t think that will be a problem. But… come over here.” I walked over to her and knelt next to her. “Baldur, friend. Leon is a friend,” she said, gently stroking his head. He turned and looked at me with his vivid cobalt blue eyes, appraising me for a moment. Then he thumped his tail on the ground before looking again at Avani. “There,” she said, “he’s acknowledged that I consider you a friend, not an enemy. Now hold your hand out. No, like this,” she said, turning my hand palm side up and straightening my fingers. He sniffed my open hand, then traveled up my arm, snuffling deeply. Then he licked my hand and lay down with his head on his massive paws, still watching me with his brilliant eyes.

“Now… let’s see…” Avani mused as she stumbled sleepily over to the bags of supplies and rummaged a little. “Ahh, here—give him this. It’s not his absolute favorite, but he really likes it. Giving him a treat will definitely secure his friendship, if he’ll take it. He knows he’s not allowed to accept treats from just anyone—he’ll only take them from me and from those that I’ve permitted him to accept treats from before. He’ll remember that you gave him something he particularly likes, too. And if he _won’t_ take it—that means he hasn’t made up his mind about you yet.” She handed me a small chunk of cheese.

“Ugh, _cheese_? Really?” I said with a grimace.

“It’s not like _you_ have to eat it. But he likes it, probably most of all the things we have on hand. So unless you want to stay up cooking a meal for my wolf…,” she said, shrugging.

“Okay, okay. I’ll give it to him. But I’ll have to wash my hands to get the stink off afterwards,” I grumbled as I walked back to Baldur. Then I stopped when I reached him and asked, “Hey, should I let him take it from my hand, or should I set it on the ground?”

“Depends on how much you like that hand,” Dylas interjected with a malicious grin.

“Shush, you. Baldur’s my big lovey-wuvvy puppy dog and you know it.” Avani retorted. “It’s up to you. He’s actually very delicate and precise—you saw him eating the stew. He never bites… at least, not on accident.” I felt like this was some sort of challenge, so I knelt down next to him and held out the cheese on the palm of my hand.

The wolf raised his head and looked at me, then ignoring the proffered cheese, he looked at Avani, who said, “It’s okay, boy. Leon is giving you a nice treat. Go ahead and take it.” He turned back to me, and as gently as a mother picks up a newborn baby, he lifted the chunk of cheese from my hand and set it carefully on the ground between his paws before slowly eating it.

“Looks like my offering has been accepted,” I said with a grin.

“Yep, you’re part of his family now,” she agreed with another yawn as she returned to the fire.

Looking beyond exhausted by that point, she sank down onto her sleep roll, falling asleep almost instantly, before she could even pull her cloak around her for warmth. With a look of affectionate exasperation in his eyes, Dylas spread her cloak over her. “You’re hopeless,” I heard him say softly as he looked down at her, smiling. He changed into pyjamas, spread out his sleep roll next to hers, and said good night to me as he pulled his cloak up around himself. He, too, was soon asleep, one arm flung over Avani’s waist protectively. I quickly followed suit, leaving guard duty to the great wolf lying at the edge of the shadows of the waning fire, his silver fur gleaming in the flickering light.

* * *

 

When I awoke the next morning, I found Dylas and Avani were already up. I looked around, and spotted her a short ways away. She was dressed in some unusual costume similar to a swimsuit but less revealing, and she was on top of a large, flat rock, doing a one-armed handstand, legs splayed into splits above her. As I watched, she slowly and carefully placed her other hand down, shifted her weight, and raised the first arm up, standing on the second hand alone. She remained like that for a minute, then placed her other hand back down, straightened her legs up into the air, and then slowly and deliberately lowered them down behind her head without raising her hands off the rock, her back in a high arch. Again she held that position for a short time, then shifted again until she was poised, palms of her hands still flat on the rock, back arched, and her knees bent so that she was resting on her shins, her toes nearly touching the back of her head.

I’d never seen anyone capable of such a range of motions—and I’d seen some pretty interesting things, I had to admit. Next, she reversed through her prior movements until she was doing a handstand on both hands. Then with a strong push, she catapulted into a back flip off the rock, landing neatly in a crouch, staring up at me with a startled look on her face.

“Oh! You’re awake,” she said as she rose and brushed the dirt from her hands. “I hope I didn’t disturb you with my morning exercises?”

“Well, you didn’t _wake_ me, anyway,” I said with the sudden realization that I’d been gawking at her all that time. “Where’s Dylas?” I asked, ignoring her questioning look.

“Oh, you know him—as soon as I described the little lake where I’d filled the water skins, he couldn’t think of anything but fishing. He was off while it was still dark. I made him take Baldur, at least—he gets so absorbed when he’s fishing, he’d never notice if something snuck up on him until it was too late!”

She walked over to the makeshift washing station at one end of the camp kitchen, where the water skins were suspended from a sturdy tree limb and linens hung drying on low branches. She drained a small amount of water into a basin, then splashed it onto her flushed face and neck, drying off with a towel she pulled from a branch. She turned towards me with a smile, saying, “There’s coffee, if you want some. Dylas should be back before long, no doubt with some fresh fish for breakfast. It’s a good thing you two are both so fond of fish, given how much that man can catch!”

I looked in surprise at her as I poured a mug of coffee for myself. “Don’t you like fish?” I asked.

“Oh, I’ll eat nearly anything,” she replied with a shrug. “I’m not very picky. I do have some favorites, of course, but I find that they’re mostly based on how much energy I can get from them rather than actual taste preference. The only exceptions I can think of are that I really don’t care for those big, green, mild peppers some people like—they taste bitter to me—and I’m not fond of things made from grapes. Fresh grapes are okay, and I enjoy wine, but as far as juices and foods made with grapes… I’m just not a fan. I have a sweet tooth, but I’m pretty sure it’s only because I can get a big burst of energy from the sugar. And I really like spicy foods, like curries.”

“Interesting,” I said, filing that information away for later. “So tell me, where did you learn to move like that? I’ve never seen anything quite like it in. It looked like an interesting workout. Is that something common these days?”

She frowned slightly, shaking her head and saying, “I don’t really know. Somehow my body just knows how to do it. Sometimes it seems like my body remembers things from my past that my brain has forgotten, at least consciously. And no, I don’t think it’s common, at least not around here. Everyone who’s seen me exercising has commented on it, so I guess that means it’s unusual in these parts.”

“Even more interesting,” I said, sipping my coffee as I looked at her. “Have you noticed anything else that your body remembers, as you put it?”

“Well,” she said thoughtfully, “everyone seemed surprised at how quickly I took to farm work—I just seemed to know what to do. And of course fighting skills. Forte was astounded—once I had recovered physically from my injuries from my fall, I quickly surpassed even her in skill. Much too quickly for someone just learning for the first time. Again, I seemed to know just what to do, how to move, but it was all subconscious. Forte called it instinct, but I don’t think that’s it—it feels more like my body is remembering past training.”

“Hmm. But still no return of your memory?” I said, watching her.

She just shook her head, saying, “No, nothing. It’s still a complete blank. And the few facts haven’t proved helpful—no missing person reports for a green-haired girl, no census reports of an ethnic group prone to green hair and eyes that might be related to me. My clothing apparently is rather unusual, but no one could identify its origins, not even Arthur with all his trade contacts. Fighting and farming skills aren’t exactly unique, and no one has seen anyone exercise or train like I do. So….”

She sighed, pouring a mug of coffee for herself and sitting on the log next to me, staring into the embers of the fire as she absentmindedly stirred them, causing them to flare up into a low flame. “It’s… it’s strange. I have a vague sense that there is something—or some _one_ —that I mustn’t forget…and another that I mustn’t remember. But I can’t pin it down better than that. It’s too nebulous. And I’ve no idea what or whom either of those might be.”

I thought for a few minutes, then asked, “Were you a virgin?”

She looked at me, startled by my frank and seemingly unrelated question. “What?” she asked.

“Your first time with Dylas, were you a virgin?” I clarified.

She shrugged, saying, “Honestly, I don’t know. It… didn’t hurt? Not very much anyway—less than I expected it would. So maybe not? I… did have a hard time, but not in _that_ way. But what…?”

“Just thinking—if you have a sense that someone or something was important to you in your past, perhaps that person was a lover or even a husband,” I explained.

“Oh, I see,” she said. “But then… if that was the case, why hasn’t he found me? I mean, if someone that meant a lot to _me_ vanished, I’d search the whole world over, never resting until I found them. And it’s been over a year and a half now since I appeared in Selphia—plenty of time for someone with any determination to track me down. So I don’t _think_ so. Or at least, even if there _was_ anyone who had been important to me, I guess I wasn’t as important to him.”

I put an arm around her shoulders to comfort her, and she leaned against my shoulder. “Well, regardless,” I told her, “you’ve made a home for yourself, and you have people to whom you are very important. So don’t worry about the past. If your memory comes back, or if someone or something from your past returns, you can deal with it then. Meanwhile, we’ve got plenty to keep us busy in the present.” She nodded, a half-smile on her face as she gazed pensively into the fire, sipping her coffee.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Dylas’s voice came from behind us. We jumped, startled out of our reveries, and turned to see him approaching, a string of fish in one hand and a makeshift pole in the other, Baldur at his heels. He looked curious rather than annoyed or angry, though, and I explained that we’d been discussing the past, or rather, her lack of it.

He turned to her, saying gravely, “Remember what I told you, okay? I don’t care what your past was. I’m just happy that you’re in this time and this place, here with me. You’re more likely to remember stuff if you aren’t trying too hard, you know.” He set the fish and his gear down and came over, motioning us to scoot over and make room. He sat on the other side of Avani and put his arm around her, too. “Listen, you have a good life. You have a nice home, plenty of work to keep you busy, friends who love you, and great health. Don’t focus so much on the past that you don’t enjoy the present, okay? Let the past take care of itself when it’s good and ready.” He gave her a squeeze and kissed the top of her head, then stood up, saying with a grin, “So… who wants some delicious fresh fish for breakfast?”


	11. Chapter 11

After breakfast was over and the campsite tidied, we suited up in our gear and prepared to head out. Avani gave Baldur some filleted raw fish and a bowl of water and put him on guard duty, and we left. We headed eastwards towards a bridge we’d spotted the day before as we searched for a campsite. We spent the day exploring the area east of the bridge, but although we saw some strange creatures, including some peculiar flatfish that lived in the sandy remains of a dried-up lake, we didn’t find any sign of Sechs activity. We returned home in the late afternoon, tired and dusty from the day’s trek.

Dylas decided he wanted to catch some fish for dinner, and Avani swore she needed to bathe and wash her grimy clothes before she choked herself to death on the dust. “Well, if you hadn’t wasted a whole freaking hour chasing those damned sand flounders around, you wouldn’t be so dusty,” Dylas remarked with amusement, ducking with a laugh as she chucked her leather gloves at his head. “Anyway, go ahead and bathe all you like, but wait until I’ve caught dinner, will you? Otherwise you’ll scare all the fish!”

“You… you _horse_!” she yelled after his hastily retreating figure. I laughed at her look of disgust, and she looked at me with chagrin, then laughed, too, saying, “Yeah, I know, he’s right—but he _might_ have said my _splashing_ would scare them—not that _I_ would!”

I laughed, “Well, I would guess that it wasn’t his suave manner and brilliant social skills that attracted you to him in the first place, anyway.”

“You’ve got _that_ right!” she agreed with another laugh. “Come on, let’s go join him. The more fishermen fishing, the sooner we’ll have enough for dinner—and the sooner I can get my bath!” She gathered up bathing supplies, a washtub, and a change of clothing, then after a moment’s thought, grabbed a change of clothing for Dylas as well. “If you want to bathe, too, get what you need, then we’ll head on over to the lake.”

* * *

 

We joined Dylas as he was enthusiastically fishing from the shore. He already had a few good-sized fish on a string, so it seemed it would not be necessary for us to join him after all. He caught a couple more, then filled the washtub with water from the lake and set the string of fish in the water to keep fresh while we bathed. Dylas didn’t approve of us all bathing at the same time, although Avani didn’t seem to care (“It’s just skin, Dylas. Who _cares_ who sees it? It’s the inside that’s the important thing, not the outside.”), and neither did I, as mixed bathing had been quite common in my time.

But in deference to his more delicate sensibilities, Avani proposed that Dylas and I stick to one side of the small lake while she stuck to the other, or else that we keep our backs turned while she entered and exited the water, and that she would do the same for us. Once in the water, she reasoned, you wouldn’t be able to see much anyway unless you really tried, and she didn’t think that would be a problem. He still seemed skeptical, though, so with a sigh, she proposed that everyone just strip to their skivvies and use them like swimsuits. Dylas protested at that, too, but Avani reminded him that her underwear was no more revealing than many swimsuits—and less so than some. So we went with that suggestion, stripping to our underwear and diving into the cool water.

Avani loved water like a duck. The lake was not large in diameter, but it was surprisingly deep towards the center, and she reveled in diving, swimming underwater, and floating happily on the surface. Dylas accused her of being a half-nymph or a mermaid, though he seemed to admire her thorough enjoyment of the water. He and I were more businesslike in our bathing, scrubbing ourselves thoroughly with soap and washing the grime from our hair and our tails. I was annoyed to find that the soft, fine fur of my bushy tail was getting a little matted. It was a pain for me to work the tangles out, as it was awkward to reach the entire length.

Dylas noticed my predicament and suggested that I ask Avani to brush it out for me. “She’s pretty good at that,” he said, turning a little pink, “She’s detangled mine a few times. She’s really gentle.”

I frowned at the idea—while accustomed to my foxy features, I was still sensitive about letting others touch them. I didn’t want to invite being treated like a pet, for one thing, nor did I care to invite that level of intimacy from most. But in this case, perhaps I could make an exception. “Yeah, okay. Maybe I’ll ask her to do so later, once it’s had a chance to dry. Thanks for the suggestion.”

“Sure. Just make sure she doesn’t have any ribbon on hand, or you might end up with some… unexpected decorations,” he said, wincing.

I grinned at the thought of Dylas with bows in his tail—and his reaction upon discovering them. “I’ll keep that in mind,” I assured him.

I finished cleaning my tail as best I could, then dove in to swim underwater to the deeper water where Avani lay floating, her eyes closed against the brilliant sunlight. From under the surface, I reached up and grabbed her foot and tugged on it, startling her into shrieking and flailing her arms. We played around in the deeper water while Dylas stayed nearer to the shore. He seemed fine in the water, but I guessed he didn’t join us just because he wasn’t the frolicsome sort. Now if we were having a race… then I was sure he’d be right there alongside. Especially if Doug was there for the competition.

After a while, I decided to head back to camp. Avani swam back to the shallow water with me, asking if I’d release Baldur from his guard duty when I got there. “Just look right at him and tell him ‘Baldur, up’ and he’ll know he’s free to leave.”

“He won’t run off?” I asked, as I gathered my things.

“No,” she replied, “or at least not far or for long. He’ll probably take care of business, maybe do a little hunting. But he’ll be back soon.”

“Okay, then I’ll see you two in a while. I’ll take the fish back with me and start cleaning them.” I looked over to see Avani had wrapped her arms around Dylas’s neck, the two of them already locked in a kiss as they floated together out towards the deeper water. I grinned, and called out with a laugh, “Take your time, kids!” Dylas replied with a mildly rude gesture, and I laughed again as I headed back to camp.

* * *

 

It was some time later when Dylas and Avani strolled back into camp, hand in hand, and from his smugly satisfied look and her happy glow, I didn’t need to ask what had taken so long. I’d added some wood to the fire, finished cleaning the fish, and salted some of them in preparation for grilling. The rest I’d left for Dylas to decide how to prepare them.

He quickly got to work, making up for lost time perhaps. Soon there were fish sizzling over the coals of the fire, a dish of sashimi prepared, and he was tossing a salad made of some wild greens that Avani and I had gathered while he worked. Soon we were enjoying our meal in the balmy evening as darkness began to creep across the eastern sky.

I suddenly remembered the chocolate I’d bought, and decided I’d better bring that out tonight—the weather hadn’t been too hot so far, but a change in the air tonight hinted at warmer weather tomorrow and I didn’t want it to melt. So as soon as we’d finished eating, I pulled it out and gave it to Avani, who exclaimed in delight. “Chocolate! Oh, I love chocolate!” I laughed at her delight, resisting the urge to pat her on the head as one might pat an adorable child. She thanked me, then broke off a chunk and popped it into her mouth with a contented sigh.

She handed the block back to me, but I declined, saying that I’d bought it for her. She protested—chocolate was expensive, she said, and she didn’t want to be selfish. I assured her that I didn’t care much for it, and even _I_ knew how much Dylas hated sweets of all sorts. She looked dubious, yet obviously pleased by the gift, and finally accepted it with more thanks. I was surprised that she only ate one more bite, but she said that she didn’t want to waste it by eating it right before going to sleep. “I’ll make some hot chocolate in the morning,” she said, “then I’ll pack it with me to nibble on tomorrow. I never know when I might need extra energy.” With that, she wrapped it back up again and placed it in one of the packs of food for the night.

* * *

 

A short time later, I excused myself, leaving the circle of firelight to change out of my clothing and to give Avani privacy to do the same. When I returned, the two of them were just laying out their sleep rolls side by side near the fire. Baldur lay nearby, half hidden in the shadows, apparently back on guard duty. I spread my bedroll out on the other side of the fire, then remembered that I’d wanted to ask Avani to brush my tail out. I hesitated a moment, then stood up and called out to her as she knelt by her wolf, stroking his head gently. “Hey, Avani, I wonder if you could do me a favor….”

Standing up, she returned to the fire, saying, “Probably, what is it?”

“Well, ahh… it’s a little embarrassing….” I said, rubbing my chin, still reluctant to let someone else handle my tail.

She raised an eyebrow at me, then Dylas interrupted, saying, “He just wants you to brush his tail. He says it’s gotten a little matted. I don’t know how someone who is perfectly willing to strip naked in front of you can be so reluctant to ask for your help with such a little thing,” he added with a snort.

“Ha-ha, well, that’s true,” I admitted. “But they’re not the same, you know.”

Avani laughed, saying, “Of course, Leon. I don’t mind at all. I brush Dylas’s tail for him all the time. You wouldn’t _believe_ some of the snarls he’s gotten in it. Do you have a brush with you?” I retrieved the brush I had purchased especially for grooming my tail and handed it to her.

“Okay,” she said, “now sit here… like that, right. And try to hold still, okay? Goodness, you weren’t kidding. You need to take better care of your fur, you big goof. I’ll be as gentle as I can, but it probably will pull a little. Next time, don’t wait so long—just ask me if you need help.” It was an odd sensation, having someone else handling and brushing my tail, but I found it far more enjoyable than I had thought I would, despite the tangles and the pulling.

After some time, she said she was done, and I thanked her for her help. “Silly, what are friends for if not to help each other out when needed?” she replied cheerfully, handing my brush back to me.

“It’s not always that easy, Avani,” Dylas said slowly. “At least, it wasn’t for me. I felt so… self-conscious around everyone with my strange appearance. It took a while before I started to get over that, and it’s something I still get upset about. I mean, I can take it from you, I guess, when you tease me about being a horse or about carrots or whatever, because I know you honestly don’t care that I’m different. But from anyone else…. And I hated for you to touch my tail or ears or anything for a long time, because it just reminded me of how different I was. And… and also, I was afraid you might pity me, which I couldn’t have borne. Or even worse, that you might think of me as some sort of pet or something. So… it’s not always easy for me to ask for help with things like that. I don’t know if it’s the same with Leon or if it’s something different, but that’s how it’s been for me anyway.”

Again, Dylas surprised me. I tended to think of him as rather slow on the uptake, but sometimes he could be startlingly intuitive or insightful. I looked at him thoughtfully, and said, “Perhaps we have more in common than I had originally believed.”

Turning to Avani, I said, “It’s not _quite_ the same for me as for Dylas. It’s partly as he said, but it’s also that grooming is, to me, a fairly intimate act. It would seem, though, that I don’t mind it so much when it’s you. Thank you for your assistance.” She blushed a little as she nodded, then suggested we retire for the night.

As I banked the fire for the night, she stretched out on her sleeping roll, pulling her cloak over her as she lay facing the fire. Dylas stretched out on the adjacent mat, sliding under her cloak as he spooned up to her and pulling his cloak over them. He draped one arm over her waist as she rested her head on his other arm, using it like a pillow. Before I had even pulled my cloak around myself, both were sound asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, I was the first to awaken. I quietly stoked the fire, so as to avoid disturbing Dylas and Avani as they slept. They had changed position in their sleep but remained curled up together, Dylas on his back with one arm wrapped around Avani, who slept with her head on his chest and her arm flung across his stomach. They looked so harmonious in their sleep, I admit I felt a pang of envy.

Shaking off potentially dangerous lines of thought, I decided to go catch some fish for breakfast. I dressed silently in the dim light, then headed to the lake, chopping down a slender sapling along the way and shaping it with my knife to use for spear fishing—an activity I had greatly enjoyed in the days before I was bound as a Guardian. I was out of practice, but fish were plentiful in the spring, so it wasn’t long before I had a decent quantity of fish to take back to camp.

As I fished, I thought to myself about the people I’d grown up with—my family, my friends… and Maria. I wondered for the thousandth time since reviving how they’d lived out the remainder of their lives… if they’d been happy, and if they had remembered me long after I was gone. Displaced as I was in time, I occasionally felt a peculiar loneliness—the loneliness of one who is _in_ a place and time but not _of_ that place and time. I wondered if that was part of what drew us former Guardians together—that unique experience of not truly belonging anywhere. And despite being an Earthmate herself, Avani had befriended us all.

* * *

 

When I returned, Dylas and Avani were both awake and just finishing dressing. I greeted them and started to clean the fish, joined a minute later by Dylas, who seemed keenly interested in learning about spear fishing. I explained the theory to him as we worked, and I promised to teach him how some time. Meanwhile, Avani embarked on her morning exercise routine, having first released Baldur from his guard duty. I watched in fascination as she moved through a number of lunges, kicks, stretches, gymnastics, and contortions, ending in the same black flip landing in a crouch as the day before.

I noticed that Dylas likewise had stopped working and was watching her, completely engrossed. When she had finished and strolled over to splash her face with water, he said in a low aside to me, “I could watch her all day and never get tired of the sight. I don’t know how she does it. Me, I can barely touch my toes.”

“I wonder just how flexible she is? Have you ever asked her to show you?” I asked curiously.

“Uh… no. No, I haven’t,” he replied, blushing furiously.

“Hey, Avani?” I called to her as she dried her face. She looked up at me questioningly, and I continued. “Just wondering—exactly how flexible _are_ you, anyway? I mean, that’s some pretty amazing movement you have going on there, but I wondered if that was reaching your limit, or if you can flex even more than that?”

“Oh, sure,” she said with a grin. “Want me to show you?”

“Sure, why not? I’m curious, at least, and I assume Dylas wouldn’t object,” I replied, grinning back at her.

She went back to the rock she’d adopted as her workout floor, and lay on her belly. She then raised her torso, bending her head backwards over her spine. At the same time, she lifted her legs up, bending them at the knee. She continued curling herself up tighter and tighter until finally her heels rested on her shoulders. Next she unfolded herself and stood up, then bent backwards farther and farther until she was doubled over backwards and grasping her ankles, the back of her head behind her knees. Then she went into a handstand, and holding her torso parallel to the ground, she slowly swung her legs back over her head until their entire length was bent back over her head, her backside almost resting on the back of her head. Next she slowly lifted first one leg, then the other, straightening them out so that they pointed towards the sky in a traditional handstand, then lowered them back down in opposite directions into side splits, continuing until her legs were parallel to the ground and then even farther. Then she again raised her legs and lowered them into front and back splits. Finally she lowered her legs until both feet were flat on the ground, her back arched, and she slowly straightened up until she was standing. Her face was flushed and she was breathing heavily, but she grinned and said, “Ahh, that felt great! I don’t often stretch that deeply—it was good to push it a little bit.”

We just stared for a minute, slack-jawed, then I slowly responded, “That… was incredible. No wonder you can execute such amazing maneuvers in battle.”

She smiled and thanked me, then looked curiously at Dylas, who was still staring with his mouth hanging open. “Dylas?” she asked, questioningly.

I waved a hand in front of his face but got no response. “Ahh,” I said, turning back to her with a smirk, “it looks like you’ve broken his head. I suspect there’s only one surefire way to snap him out of it. I believe I will take Baldur on a very long walk, and I leave his cure in your… hands? We’ll be sure to make plenty of noise when we come back, just to be on the safe side.”

She blushed at what she assumed was my teasing. However, with complete seriousness, I called Baldur to me and we set out. I grabbed an empty sack to bring with me and kept an eye out for greens as we walked slowly through the springtime fields.

* * *

 

Sure enough, when we returned some while later, I found them preparing breakfast—or rather, she was _trying_ to prepare breakfast while Dylas persistently held her in a tight embrace while nuzzling and kissing her neck. They both had a satisfied look to them that suggested she had successfully implemented my implied cure for Dylas’s bedazzlement.

I dropped the bag of greens on the ground at Avani’s feet, saying, “Glad to see you’re back among the living, Dylas. Hey, I found some ramps growing nearby! And I picked some mushrooms, too.”

Avani looked skeptically at the mushrooms in the bag, and asked, “Are you sure these are edible? I can’t tell the good ones from the bad ones.”

“Oh, there’s no such thing as _bad_ mushrooms,” I said with a mischievous grin. “Only exciting ones!”

“Ugh,” she replied closing the bag quickly. “I can do without that kind of excitement, thanks.”

“True, true. You and Dylas do seem to get plenty of excitement. But for a single man like me…,” I said with a mock sigh.

“Stuff it,” said Dylas good-naturedly.

“Stuffed mushrooms…” I mused, “that sounds pretty good to me.”

“Yeah, and I’ll show you exactly where you can stuff ‘em,” Dylas replied, pulling the ramps and greens out of the bag and ignoring the mushrooms.

Soon breakfast was ready—grilled fish and a very good scramble of eggs, sautéed ramps and spring greens. Dylas and I had coffee while Avani sipped her hot chocolate. The morning’s events caused us to get off to a late start, but no one seemed to mind too badly.

* * *

 

We headed southwards from our base camp, following an established path. After a little ways, the path forked, the branches continuing south or heading west. We opted to continue south, and soon found ourselves at the mouth of large cave. A stairway led down to lower levels, and so we drew our weapons and took the stairs down.

We found ourselves in an empty cavern, with an opening to an adjacent cavern to the south. We carefully entered the second chamber and found two large holes in the ground with a sign between them. I stepped up and examined the sign. “It asks if we are male or female, and says if female, to jump into the hole to the west.”

“Well, I’m the only female here… so I guess I should be the one to go?” Avani said uncertainly.

“Like hell you will,” Dylas said with a scowl. “We’re sticking together, whether we go down one of the holes or just get out of here.”

“I agree,” I added. “Since we do have a lady in the party, I say we jump down the western hole—all three of us. I find this rather intriguing, myself.” Avani nodded, and we stood at the edge of the hole and leaped down together, landing in another cavern similar to the one we just left. I took a look at the new sign, saying, “This sign says that if we’re good cooks, take the western hole.”

“Okay, western hole it is then,” Dylas said, striding up to the opening. Again we jumped and landed in a similar cavern.

“Let’s see,” I said, “this time if we’re beautiful or pretty or cute to take the western hole.”

“West hole again,” Dylas said.

“Thanks, I do rather pride myself on my appearance,” I said, affecting a blush.

“Shut the hell up, you idiot. I wasn’t talking about you,” he said, rolling his eyes. Once again we jumped together.

This time we landed in an empty cavern, with only an opening to the north. We entered the adjacent cavern, and there we found a large, raccoon-striped creature. “At last you have come, my bride!” he exclaimed, gazing rapturously at Avani.

“Huh? Say _what_?” she replied, looking baffled.

“I’ve been waiting for twenty long years for you to arrive, and finally you’re here. Quickly now, let us be married right away!”

“You _can’t_ be serious.” she replied, looking aggravated.

“Like hell is she marrying you!” Dylas snapped, stepping forward to Avani’s right.

“I agree. The lady has no wish to marry you, so I’m afraid it’s out of the question,” I added, stepping forward to her left.

“Oh, how quaint. You’ve brought your pets. A pony and a puppy,” the creature exclaimed. “Well, if you won’t marry me willingly, I’ll just have to _make_ you marry me!” With that, he incanted a shielding spell, trapping the three of us in the cavern.


	13. Chapter 13

As she faced the raccoon monster, her face white with anger, Avani crouched and leaped into the air. Shouting a battle cry as she flipped through the air, sword held high above her, she flew at the beast with her distinctive slashing attack. She struck the creature several times in rapid succession as she spiraled through the air before landing on her feet a short distance from him. The creature bellowed in rage or pain, then without warning, he transformed into a demon of gigantic proportions.

Dylas and I both sprang forward as Avani staggered back and fell under a backhanded blow from the creature’s massive forearm. I rammed him in the belly with my spear, and although his densely matted fur blocked a mortal injury, nevertheless I was able to cause some damage. Dylas flanked him and punched him with his spiked gauntlets while I leaped aside to dodge a blow from the enraged monster and cast an Earth Spike spell.

Avani had recovered by this time and dove in with her most powerful attack. The demon flew back from the combined effect of my spell, a powerful flying kick from Dylas, and Avani’s sword strike, landing on his back with enough force that the cave shook. He vanished in an explosion of light, then reappeared in his miniature form.

“You… you’re a strong opponent,” he said to her, gasping.

“What were you _thinking_?” she berated him angrily. “That’s no way to find a mate!”

“I know,” he sighed. “I’m sorry. Here, please accept this gift from me, as an apology.” He held out a hand to her, and a small pouch appeared on his palm.

“Well… all right, if you promise you’ll behave from now on,” she said, reluctantly accepting the proffered gift.

“I will,” he assured her. “But… will you sometimes come to visit and play with me again? It gets so lonely here all by myself.”

“I’ll think about it,” she replied. Then she straightened up, raised her hands, and with a shouted incantation, she cast an Escape spell. We found ourselves in the cave’s entrance, the stairway down just ahead of us.

“A raccoon demon,” I mused, glancing towards the stairs, and we exited into the brilliance of the spring afternoon.

* * *

 

We had a few minor skirmishes after leaving the raccoon demon’s den, but before long, it became apparent that Avani had been injured at some point. After a brief discussion, Dylas and I agreed we should call it quits early that day, overriding Avani’s protests that she was fine, really.

When we reached camp, Dylas scolded her soundly, reminding her that we didn’t know what we’d be up against when we finally located the research facility, and that it was far better to rest now and be prepared for whatever tomorrow might bring than to foolishly rush into danger unwell and unprepared. It was perhaps the surest sign that she was not feeling like her usual self that she didn’t argue any further with him, giving in almost immediately. I found her quick capitulation worrisome, and I could see that Dylas was concerned by it, too. I suggested he get her to bed as quickly as possible, offering to go fish for our supper while he assisted her. He mutely nodded acceptance, so I packed up and left, taking Baldur with me.

When I returned, she was lying on her sleep roll, her cloak draped over her and Dylas’s cloak folded up under her head for a pillow. She appeared to be asleep, so I quietly brought Dylas the fish I’d caught. I went to Avani, and as gently as I could, I placed a hand on her head and cast a healing spell on her. She seemed better for a minute, but then she almost immediately began to worsen again. I watched her for a few minutes as she slept, then told Dylas I’d be back again in a little while.

I grabbed an empty bag on my way out, and went looking for a flock of schmoolies. I found one and easily defeated them, and gathered the wool that had been shorn from them during combat. Stuffing the wool into the bag I’d brought, I continued battling schmoolies until I’d gathered enough wool to fill the bag. Returning to camp, I tied the bag closed and, with Dylas’s help, swapped it with his cloak for her to use as a pillow. She woke just enough to burrow down into her new cushion, then she was out again, looking sickly and feverish as she moaned and tossed restlessly in her sleep.

Dylas grilled some fish for me, prepared sashimi for himself and the wolf, and made a simple herbed rice porridge for Avani. He ate his meal while stirring the simmering rice mixture, then he dished up a bowlful and sat on the ground next to her. Gently shaking her until she woke, he cradled her head in his lap and fed her.

Watching him feed her, I spotted a small dark speck on the side of her neck, partly hidden by her hair. Moving closer for a better look, I saw she had a small, slender thorn stuck into her neck, just below her ear. I carefully pulled it out and examined it, Dylas watching me curiously as I did so. It looked like the poisonous thorns that some of the monsters—plant creatures capable of locomotion—flung as a weapon. I showed it to Dylas, then went to fetch a vial of antidote from the first aid kit. Dylas held Avani’s head up, and I carefully poured the medicine into her mouth. She managed to swallow most of it, and within minutes her color had improved and she seemed to be more at ease.

“Poison, huh?” Dylas said without taking his eyes off her as she at last slept peacefully.

“Looks like it. She probably never even noticed the thorn and just chalked up her ailment to tiredness. Those things can be a royal pain in the ass, though normally they don’t bother us because the thorns don’t penetrate our armor or even our clothing. At least she should improve quickly now,” I reassured him.

“Yeah…,” Dylas said slowly. “Thanks, man. I’m glad you caught it. I don’t know how I missed it.”

“Well, it was just good luck that I happened to spot it,” I replied, returning to my meal. “They’re tiny, so they’re hard to spot, and her hair probably hid it anyway.” After I’d finished eating and had regained some of my spent energy, I cast another healing spell on her. As it began to take effect, she gave a soft sigh and slipped into a deeper sleep.

We sat around the fire after cleaning up from the evening meal, talking in low voices to avoid waking Avani. Dylas talked about what things had been like in his time, which he estimated to be at least a century and a half ago. I still hadn’t worked out exactly how long ago my time had been, but I agreed with my foxes’ estimate that it had been between six and seven centuries since I’d become the first Guardian. I told him about my own era, and about what Venti had been like as a young dragon. We discussed fishing at length, too, as that was an interest we shared.

After a while, I stood and stretched, and suggested that we take a rest day tomorrow, to give Avani time to recover. “If she feels strong enough to go to the lake, I can start teaching you how to spear fish, too, if you’re still interested,” I added, as I prepared myself for bed.

“Hell, yeah!” was his enthusiastic response.

* * *

 

The next morning, Avani looked much better, and she declared she was well enough to head out again—she didn’t need a day of rest, she said, determinedly. Until she stood up, that is. Her legs were still weak from the lingering effects of the poison, and they buckled and gave way, dropping her to the ground most unceremoniously. Sitting on the ground blinking up at us in surprise, she agreed in a faint voice that maybe a day off would be a good idea, after all.

Dylas stood over her, scowling down at her as he said, “Damn straight, it’s a good idea. Don’t be an idiot. You had us worried, you know. You’re lucky Leon spotted that poison thorn—otherwise who knows what might have happened.” She looked abashed as she accepted his hand up, and to my surprise, she meekly apologized for causing us concern, and thanked us for taking care of her. Dylas looked startled, too, and gruffly told her not to worry about it, just to be more careful in the future.

After breakfast, we packed up some gear and bathing supplies and headed to the lake. I still had my field-expedient spear, and along the way, I showed Dylas how to select a sapling or long branch for such a use and how to whittle the tip and barb with a hunting knife. When we reached the lake, we first made sure Avani was comfortable, resting on the cool, soft grass by the shore, wrapped in her cloak for extra warmth until the sunshine slanted under the pink canopy of flowering trees. Then Dylas and I stripped to our boxers and waded out into the shallows.

I showed him how to position himself, standing and waiting motionless at the ready until the fish forgot he was there, how to aim correctly through the water, and how to plunge the spear quickly and firmly into his target. I demonstrated a couple of times, then he moved a short distance away to try it himself. It took a few failed attempts before he finally caught one, but at last he held aloft a respectably-sized trout, grinning at me as he gave me a thumbs-up.

We continued fishing for a while, then after we had caught a few more, we waded back to shore. We cleaned the fish right there at the edge of the spring, Dylas deftly filleting and slicing them into sashimi. The three of us ate all the fresh, raw fish we wanted, then afterwards Avani lay down and fell asleep in the dappled shade of the cerezo trees.

After he’d finished his meal, Dylas brought out an oddly-shaped collapsible cage that he’d brought along with him. He unfolded it, stuck a long, sturdy reed into it, and tied a few large stones to the corners, then wading out into the deeper part of the shallows, he dropped it into the lake. The reed stuck up out of the water, marking its location as it swayed slightly in the gentle current. He returned to shore and gathered up the scraps and offal from cleaning and preparing the fish, then he waded back out and dropped it all into the cage, dropping the lid closed and fastening it. I watched the proceedings with interest, and looked at him questioningly when he returned.

“Shrimp cage,” he explained. “Used to catch shrimp, crayfish, and so on. They crawl in to eat the bait, then they can’t find their way back out again. All you have to do is return the next day and lift it out of the water.”

“Fascinating,” I said, looking back to where the reed was visible sticking out of the water. “Do you expect to catch anything in these waters?”

He shrugged, saying, “No idea. But nothing ventured, nothing gained—right? Avani loves shellfish, so I thought I’d try. I’ll check on it next chance I get and see if I got lucky.”

* * *

 

We spent the afternoon quietly, Avani drifting in and out of sleep while Dylas and I stayed close by to keep an eye on her, taking turns bathing in the cool water or fishing. By late afternoon, she seemed mostly recovered from the aftereffects of the toxins, though she was still tired and a little weak despite her long rest. I guessed she’d been affected worse than usual because of the long delay in giving her an antidote.

We prepared to return as evening approached, wanting to reach camp before twilight crept over us. Avani sighed as she looked down the path back to our camp, then tiredly reached for her cloak, which she’d discarded some time ago once the temperature had warmed up. Dylas watched her for a moment, then took the cloak from her and knelt down in front of her, his back to her.

“C’mon, climb on. I’ll give you a ride back,” he said, not unkindly.

“Are… are you sure?” she asked, biting her lip uncertainly. I could see she was tempted yet torn, knowing his feelings about giving anyone a ride in that manner.

“Yeah, come on. Just don’t tell Doug, or I’ll never hear the end of my giving ‘horsey rides’,” he snorted. She giggled a little, then climbed up on his back, wrapping her arms around him and leaning her cheek against his shoulder. He stood up, gripping her legs and carrying her cloak tucked under one arm. I picked up the rest of our things, and we returned to our camp.

Dylas prepared another stew that night, a little different than the one he made before but just as delicious. Avani rested before the fire while I sliced bread and brewed coffee to go with the stew. After our meal, she felt recovered enough to sit up with us, sipping coffee before the fire. She sat on the ground between Dylas’s feet, leaning her head tiredly against his knee, her cloak draped around her. He stroked her hair as we talked about this and that. After we finished our drinks, I washed up while Dylas settled Avani comfortably and prepared for bed.

When I returned, they were spooned up together, his arm wrapped protectively around her as he watched her sleep. “She looks much better,” I commented as I prepared for bed. He nodded drowsily, and I added, “I think she’ll be fine by morning. Let’s get some sleep, too. Good night.” Then as my companions slept, I lay watching the twinkling stars high overhead through the gaps in the trees, lost in my thoughts and dreams.


	14. Chapter 14

As I’d hoped, Avani was completely recovered the next morning. She rose first, and by the time I woke up, she was in the midst of her exercise routine, Dylas still sound asleep on his bed roll. I greeted her sleepily and went to start a pot of coffee brewing over the embers of the fire. The scent of the coffee woke Dylas, and soon after we prepared and ate a quick breakfast. Avani was ready and raring to go, so we suited up, set Baldur on guard duty, and headed out. This time when we reached the fork in the southern road, we turned west.

Soon we passed a hermit’s cot set back from the road, surrounded by young trees and overgrown with brambles. Just beyond, we spotted the mouth of a cave opening into the hillside, boulders and trees obscuring it from view. We heard voices approaching, so we quickly and quietly ducked into the shrubs alongside the road. Before long, a pair of soldiers in Sechson uniforms came up the road, speaking together in low voices. I couldn’t make out all that they said despite my keen ears, but I definitely discerned “Lord Ethelberd,” “research,” “rune spheres,” and “final hurdle” in their conversation. They turned and entered the mouth of the cave, and after a few minutes, we cautiously followed, our weapons drawn.

Inside the cave we found a labyrinthine series of caverns, connected by tunnels and hidden passages, and occupied by hobgoblins, goblins, and other monsters. After an exhausting search and numerous skirmishes, we at last reached a chamber with a staircase leading down. We paused for a short break to eat and drink, heal our injuries, and rest a little. No monsters occupied this chamber, and I found myself wondering what lay in wait in the caverns below that kept them away. With that thought in mind, we proceeded cautiously down the dimly lit stairs.

When we neared the bottom of the stairway, we again heard voices—the same pair as before, I was almost certain. They seemed to be discussing what kinds of monsters they’d most like to be turned into—a peculiar topic of conversation, I thought. Soon we heard the sound of a heavy barrier being lowered, then raised again with a heavy thud followed by silence.

We stepped out of the stairwell and entered a chamber that contained only a blockaded passage to the north and warp points to both the east and the west. We looked at each other, then Avani shrugged and ran towards the eastern warp point, vanishing in a burst of light. Dylas gave a shout and ran after her, looking pissed off, and I followed close behind.

I found myself transported to another cavern, where Avani was already engaged in heavy combat with a small, vile-looking, sorcerous monster. Dylas was a few paces ahead of me, running to her aid, so I quickly cast Water Laser and hit the monster with the high-energy stream. Soon he was defeated, and we continued on our way— _after_ Dylas scolded Avani for her reckless haste.

Again, there was a maze of passages and caverns, filled with tougher monsters than on the previous level—mages and undead monsters as well as more hobgoblins. Finally we reached a room that contained a switch and a warp point. The switch was color coded to match a portion of the barrier in the first chamber, so Dylas threw it and we stepped into the warp point. We reappeared back in the first room, between the stairs and the barrier, and sure enough, one of the two monoliths that blocked our path was down. By now we were nearing exhaustion, though, so we decided to return to camp and continue tomorrow. Avani cast Escape, which deposited us just outside the mouth of the cave, and we returned to camp, ignoring any monsters that didn’t actually impede our progress.

We shed our gear and headed to the spring to fish for our evening meal and to wash the sweat and grime from our day’s efforts away. Upon reaching the lake, we discovered that Dylas had caught a few decent-sized lobsters in his trap, so we quickly bathed and returned to camp to cook them. Dylas prepared the lobsters for grilling, and I gathered some more greens for a salad. Meanwhile, Avani said she felt obligated to report our discovery of the cave to Arthur, so she returned to town using Escape, reappearing just as Dylas was finishing cooking the lobsters. He tossed the meat of the two smallest lobsters to Baldur for his supper, and we sat down to our meal. The lobsters were delicious, and afterwards we sat around the fire chatting and drinking coffee while we cleaned our weapons and armor before turning in for the night.

* * *

 

The next morning, we rose early and ate a quick but hearty breakfast before setting out again. We cautiously approached the cave, but again there was no guard set. This time we just bolted through the first floor, dashing past any monsters we encountered for the sake of speed. We quickly reached the stairs and descended to the second level. This time we entered the western warp point all together, our weapons drawn and ready.

We appeared in a dimly lit cavern and came face to face with a huge minotaur. It bellowed in rage and charged, and we leapt forward to meet it in combat. It carried a massive battle axe—capable of great damage, but very slow. As we charged, I noticed Avani sheathing her longsword and instead drawing her smaller dual swords. I hadn’t seen her fight with them, and I was amazed by the sight. Since they were so much smaller and lighter, they did less damage with each blow, but she was able to strike so much more frequently that the overall effect was impressive. Using her superior speed and agility against the lumbering beast, she was devastating in her attack.

We dispatched it more quickly than I would have thought possible, and after a short break, during which Avani healed everyone and restored some of her expended energy with a little food, we continued on through the interconnected caverns. We fought several more minotaurs and a number of the earth shades known as gaias in addition to more of the same monsters we’d found in the eastern caves the day before. Eventually we reached a second chamber containing a switch and a warp point, and again we threw the switch and jumped into the warp point, returning to the first cavern. This time we found the second monolith lowered, and we stepped forward into a cavern with yet another staircase leading down.

We descended into another empty chamber with a passage open to the north, where we found a minotaur and another of the little sorcerous monsters holding a green fey captive. We defeated them, and Avani released the imprisoned green fey. In gratitude, the small creature offered her undying devotion to her. Avani accepted her proffered friendship, but told her to return to her stables in Selphia, to rest and recover from her ordeal. The fey bowed in acknowledgement and vanished in a flash, and we proceeded. We fought our way through countless labyrinthine caverns, battling minotaurs, mages, demons, and more, until we reached a chamber containing only a warp point. We stopped to catch our breath and heal our wounds, then we entered the warp point and were transported to another empty chamber with a passage to the north.

That room contained both a demon and a minotaur, which we quickly defeated. The next room, though, contained a small golem—something none of us had seen before. As a Sechson construct, the Tamitaya spell on our weapons would not work on it—we’d have to annihilate it completely. It was tough, made of stone and incapable of feeling pain or of tiring. My spear would not be effective against it, so instead I focused on casting Water Laser, letting the powerful jet of water blast into the Golem’s stone, wearing it down as Avani attacked with her heavy long sword and Dylas battered it with a series of powerful kicks and punches. It was the toughest opponent we’d faced yet in those caves, though we knew that there were certainly worse battles still to come.

Before long, we found ourselves no longer in natural caverns, but in man-made rooms finished with massive metal columns, smooth floors, and artificial lighting. After clearing a few such rooms, we entered a room that was unpopulated, and again we rested for a few minutes to recover strength and heal our wounds. Avani spotted a switch that activated a warp point—possibly a shortcut back up to the entrance, though we didn’t yet know for sure.

* * *

 

There was a second door in the north wall, and as we approached it after our short rest, we heard voices. We paused to listen and heard a loud, arrogant voice none of us recognized bragging about some new achievement or acquisition. We slipped soundlessly into the room and froze as we beheld a massive dragon at the far end. Standing before it was a man in a uniform and cloak with long grey hair, surrounded by a handful of soldiers. The grey-haired man referred to the beast as the Native Dragon Terrable, though from their conversation it appeared to be a clone rather than the God himself. I shuddered at the thought of someone cloning the Native Dragons—the four Dragon Gods of our land. The stranger cackled loudly, proclaiming that with the rune spheres, he was now able to wield the power of an Earthmate, and I felt Avani stiffen next to me. She leapt forward, her dual swords drawn, demanding the return of the spheres, and the soldiers all whirled to face her. Dylas and I placed ourselves on either side of her, our weapons drawn, and together we faced the strange man.

He slowly turned around to face us, looking keenly at Avani, then with a malicious grin, said, “Ahh, Avani, the Earthmate of Selphia. I am Ethelberd, the Emperor of Sechs. So tell me, how did you like the gift I sent to you? He would never have succeeded against an Earthmate, of course, but I hope you enjoyed him nonetheless. Just think of it as a warm greeting.”

“A… _greeting_? You… because of him, Venti and Doug are….” she replied, stunned.

“Doug?” Ethelberd said with a scowl. “Who is this ‘Doug’?”

“Sir, he’s the dwarf whose clan we slaughtered before we manipulated him into spying for us in Selphia,” one of the soldiers reminded him.

“Ahh, such a trivial matter. I remember it not,” the Emperor said with a dismissive gesture.

“You—how can you _say_ that?” Avani shouted, shaking with rage and gripping her dual swords so tightly her knuckles were white.

With another dismissive gesture, Ethelberd said, “Never mind that—take a look at _this_ , Earthmate!” And with that, he moved to the side as the huge dragon stepped forward with an enraged roar as it slashed the air with its single, massive horn and spread wide its great, dark wings, tipped at the joints with cruel claws. “You see what the rune spheres can do? I created this clone of Terrable using their power! Impressive, isn’t it?”

He strode up to the huge beast and struck him on his flanks, driving it forward. “Now, Earthmate of Selphia, show me your strength! Defeat this wraith of a God!” And with that he departed through a side door, closely followed by the other soldiers.

“As a Dragon Priest, I’m not sure how I feel about fighting even a clone of a Native Dragon, though perhaps true loyalty is shown in having the courage for remonstration,” I said as I prepared for combat.

“Can’t be helped now anyway,” Dylas grunted, crouching for a leap. “So I say, _bring it_!” And with that, we charged as the monster bellowed a challenge.

Since Terrable was the Native Dragon over the element of earth, we had to avoid any earth-imbued weaponry or earth magic—they would strengthen him rather than weaken him. However, he should also be more susceptible to weapons and spells that utilized wind magic, the opposite of earth magic. Avani quickly set to hacking and slashing with her wind-imbued dual blades, using her acrobatic skills and her speed to create a veritable whirlwind around his head and neck, confusing and enraging the beast. Dylas drove in a series of kicks and punches on his flanks, and I cast Dual Sonic repeatedly, sending blades of wind energy slashing over and around him.

The Terrable clone fought back with a fury, swiping at us with his long horn and his powerful tail while trying to crush us with his huge claws, but our onslaught soon began to take its toll. Nevertheless, he managed to knock Avani down with a swipe of his great tail, and as she lay temporarily stunned by his blow, he reared up, preparing to gore her with his horn. With a shout, I dove in with my spear leveled at his exposed belly, driving it in with all my might. Screaming in agony, the monster swiped at me with one of his spiked wings, rending my armor and sending me flying through the air. I hit something hard, and everything went black.


	15. Chapter 15

I gradually became aware of voices, though I couldn’t resolve them into words right away, and I felt a terrible pain in my head and chest. As I became more cognizant of my surroundings, I noticed I was lying on something cold and hard and damp, though my head seemed to rest on something softer. I felt a hand stroking my head gently, and after a moment, I recognized Avani’s voice, sounding strange and shaky. I realized where I was, then, and that my head was lying on her lap as she cast a healing spell on me. I opened my eyes, and heard her exclaim with evident relief, “He’s coming around!”

Dylas’s voice came from above and behind her, saying, “See? I told you, he’s tougher than you gave him credit.”

“What… what happened?” I groaned. “I feel terrible.”

“That’ll keep until later,” Dylas said, coming over and crouching down next to me, peering into my face. “His eyes look fine, Avani. He must be even more hard-headed than you.”

I felt droplets of water land on my face and brushed them away, only to discover my cheeks were wet. As I looked up, scowling, for the source of the drops, I realized that they were tears falling from Avani’s eyes as she silently wept. “Hey,” I said, trying to sound natural, “No drowning your patients.”

“I’m sorry... I couldn’t help myself,” she said weakly, wiping her eyes with her arm. “I was just so frightened when I saw you lying unconscious and bleeding, and it’s such a relief that you’re okay.”

“What’s considered ‘okay’ must have changed somewhat since my time,” I groaned, closing my eyes again. I felt her quiver slightly with a repressed laugh, then she continued healing me.

When she stopped, I sat up, still groggy but much improved. She looked drained, probably from the effort of healing me as well as from combat. She still had tears in her eyes, suddenly reminding me with a pang of other tear-filled eyes from long ago. I never could bear it when women cried, yet I seemed doomed to be the cause of their tears time and time again.

* * *

 

I looked around me, and seeing that the clone of Terrable was gone, again asked what happened. Before either of them could fill me in, though, Arthur appeared in the doorway to the chamber, Forte standing behind him. We looked at him in surprise, and he explained that after Avani’s report the night before, he’d decided to follow us, to see for himself what was going on, and that Forte had insisted on accompanying him as his guard.

Avani filled him in on the confrontation with Ethelberd, and Arthur looked grave. “I see. I hadn’t realized just how serious the situation had become. I’ll inform the capitol at once… but for now, I’ve been ordered to find you and bring you back to Selphia, to assist with our defenses there until reinforcements arrive—which, knowing how things work at the palace, will likely take some time.” He paced for a few minutes, his brow furrowed in thought. “But if I bring you back now as ordered, we may lose track of Ethelberd. He already has the advantage in terms of time and planning. And we desperately need those rune spheres.”

Avani stood before Arthur, saying, “Is the town safe right now, Arthur?”

“Oh yes, Forte has been doing a splendid job,” he assured her, and Forte smiled a half-smile at his praise.

“Then I’ll continue the chase!” she exclaimed, a look of steely determination in her eyes. “If I can keep them running, that will buy time for the reinforcements to arrive, won’t it? And besides—I promised Venti that I’d recover the spheres. I… I miss her. I want to goof around with her again, argue with her, tell her silly jokes and funny stories. I… want to see her smile again. So please, Arthur, let me go.”

Arthur smiled, and said, “That’s exactly what I’d hoped you’d say. You never disappoint, Avani. We need more information on what the Sechs are up to, and you are the warrior best suited for this task. I know I can rely on you. Therefore, I ask you—as your prince, and as your friend—to accept this task.”

Avani grinned as she replied, “Just leave it to me! I won’t let them get away with this.”

“That’s the spirit! I would think they’re making their way towards the border. The only land route across the border in this region is via the Maya Road, over Mount Maya. That’s dangerous terrain, so please proceed with caution. And… don’t push yourself too hard, Avani. I advise you to break camp and return to town to rest up and re-equip yourselves for the journey. Assuming that your companions intend to continue with you, that is?” He looked at us inquiringly.

“She couldn’t leave me behind if she tried,” Dylas said grimly, glaring at her as if she had indeed already done so.

“I could use a good night’s sleep, as I’m a little tired,” I mused, and Avani gave an exasperated snort at my understatement. “But certainly I’ll go along—this has been a rather entertaining diversion,” I said with a smile.

Arthur shot me a keen look, then nodded his head. “Then I’ll see you all back in town after you break camp. Please inform me when you are ready to depart, Avani.” And with that, he cast an Escape spell, and he and Forte vanished in a flash of light.

Avani stood, lost in thought for a few minutes, until Dylas suggested we return to camp and then back to town. She started a little at his voice, then replied, “Yes, let’s. Leon, can you walk? Do you need help?”

“I think I can manage walking—it’s fighting that I’m not at all sure about,” I replied, gingerly prodding my throbbing head.

“You aren’t completely healed yet—I had all but drained my resources when Arthur interrupted us,” she replied. “Let’s get back to town, and we’ll get you fixed up.” Using the warp point, which did indeed return us to the cave mouth, we returned to camp without any difficulty, the two of them matching their pace to my own halting steps. We packed up, and Avani cast Escape to return us all to her rooms in the castle.

* * *

 

Depositing her gear, Avani gently but firmly pushed me towards her bed, telling me to lie down and rest. I began to protest, but a resurgence of pain convinced me otherwise. So I lay down on her bed and rested while she and Dylas unpacked our bags, sorting equipment and clothing into piles that needed washing or repairs and putting foodstuffs and medicines away. She fed Baldur and sent him back to the stable with an affectionate pat, then she went to discuss laundering and mending needs with Volkanon while Dylas cooked up a curry with rice from what he could find in her kitchen.

When she returned, she insisted on feeding me herself. She sat on the bed, cradling my head in her lap as she fed me bites of the curry and rice until I was full. Dylas pulled a chair up to the bed, watching us as he ate. In between bites, he filled me in on what had happened—I remembered spearing the dragon but not much after that. He said that the dragon had knocked me flying after my blow had critically injured the dragon, so they’d quickly finished him off and rushed over to where I lay.

“You were hurt pretty badly,” he said, scowling at the memory. “You’d hit the back of your head against one of those big metal columns, and you were unconscious and bleeding heavily when we reached you. Avani was scared to death she wouldn’t be able to heal you quickly enough, that you’d bleed to death first. She had to cast several healing spells on you before you woke up.”

“So I guess I owe you my life, then, eh?” I said, looking up at her with a smile. I was surprised when she shook her head, but she seemed to have choked up at Dylas’s recounting of the end of the battle, and tears again filled her eyes as she silently returned my gaze.

“Well, you see,” Dylas said slowly, looking away, “ _you_ saved _her_ life, and nearly at the cost of your own. He was about to skewer her with that damned horn of his, when you rushed in and got him first. I couldn’t have reached him in time, and I’m not sure I could have turned him aside on my own anyway. But _you_ did it.” Then he turned to me again with an odd look in his eyes, and said, “Thanks, Leon, for saving her. Again.”

* * *

 

After finishing her own meal, Avani had recovered enough energy to resume healing me. She again sat on the bed with my head on her lap, and gently cupping my face in her hands, she began the incantation. It took a few repetitions before I finally felt more or less like myself again. I stood up and gingerly felt the back of my head, discovering that although my wounds were closed and healed, my hair was matted with dried blood. I examined my chest for the first time since waking back in the cavern, and was surprised to see that not only my armor had been slashed open, but the shirt beneath it had been torn as well. I could still see faint traces of a wound across my chest, and assumed from the blood soaked into my shirt and smeared down my stomach that I’d had a pretty good wound there, too. For the first time, too, I noticed the large blood stain on Avani’s clothing where my head had rested on her lap. It appeared Dylas’s description had not been an exaggeration.

“Well,” I said after I finished my examination, “it looks like I was a bit of a mess.” Avani made an oddly strangled sound, as if she was trying to both laugh and cry at the same time. She came up to me and placed her hands on my shoulders, leaning her head tiredly against my chest as she cast one final healing spell. When I glanced down again, the last traces of my wounds had vanished. I looked up and caught Dylas watching us with a pained look in his eyes. He saw me looking at him and turned away without a word.

* * *

 

Afterwards, Avani was once again drained and exhausted, and she declared that she needed a good, long soak in a hot bath—and that we did, too. We walked over to the inn together, stopping for clean clothing first.

Dylas assisted me with washing up before entering the soaking tub, gently washing the dried blood from my hair and my back, which apparently had also been injured when I had hit that column. Then he sat nearby while we soaked in the large pool of hot water—in case I felt dizzy, he said. It was delightful to just sit and soak my tired, aching muscles, and from the relaxed look on his face, I suspected Dylas felt the same.

We sat soaking in the pool for some time, until we heard sounds of Avani finishing her bath over on the ladies’ side. Then we dressed and waited for her in the lobby of the hotel, sipping cold drinks until she joined us a few minutes later, and we headed back to the castle.

I had planned to gather up my things and return to my room at the inn, but Avani stopped me. “No way, Leon. I don’t want you climbing up all those stairs alone. For tonight at least, you’ll sleep here. You can have the sofa or the chaise in the study—whichever you prefer—but you’re staying here,” she said firmly.

“There’s no need for that, Avani,” I assured her. “I’m perfectly fine now. Don’t underestimate your skills as a healer. Besides,” I added as she opened her mouth to protest. “As charming as your daybed is, I’ll be far more comfortable in my own bed. And I have some translations that I need to work on, too, now that I’m back in town.” She wavered, and I continued with a smile, saying, “Furthermore, I’m sure Dylas will be delighted to keep you company tonight, and I’m equally sure the two of you could use some… ‘private time’ anyway. I promise I’ll send word to you if anything happens.”

With a sigh, she reluctantly agreed, asking me to just be sure to take it easy. “You can leave your equipment here if you want,” she added. “I have plenty of room to store it for you. You’ll be getting better stuff soon, anyway.” I took her up on her offer, grabbed the rest of my things, and said good night as I stepped out the back door into her gardens. When I looked back, they were standing in the doorway, Dylas behind her with his arms wrapped around her. They waved, and as I waved back, he leaned down to nuzzle her neck, then scooped her up in his arms and closed the door behind them.

I returned to my solitary room, with only my foxes for company.


	16. Chapter 16

I slept late the next morning, enjoying the luxury of a comfortable bed after several nights of sleeping on a firm mat on the ground. Xiao brought up a breakfast tray to me after I’d risen, and I dined at my desk, sipping tea and tearing pieces off one of Lin’s large, soft rolls. As I ate, I reread the translation work I’d finished so far to remind myself of where I’d left off, then I got to work on the remainder of the text. After the excitement of the past few days, though, I found it difficult to focus on such a quiet activity. So after a while, I set it aside and went to bathe and get some lunch.

At Porcoline’s restaurant, I found Dylas waiting on tables. “Hey,” he said as I came in. “How are you feeling?”

“Much better, thanks to Avani’s healing skills. Speaking of whom, where is she? I haven’t seen her around today.”

“I’m not sure,” he replied with a frown. “I’ve been working. Last I saw her, she was hurrying down the road on her way to Arthur’s, probably for a meeting, but that was a few hours ago. I haven’t talked to her since last night.” He shrugged, then as he returned to work, he said, “I’m sure she’s around. She just has a lot to do right now.”

I was surprised, as I’d come to think of them as practically joined at the hip, and said, “Last night? I thought you’d spent the night with her.”

He scowled slightly, replying, “No, didn’t work out that way. She said she was tired and had a lot to think over and to do and that she needed some time to herself for a few days. So I’m back here in my room for now.” Then he abruptly turned away, signaling an end to the conversation.

I didn’t see her all that day, nor the next. I began to miss her—miss teasing her, her quick and clever comebacks, the way she’d blush when flustered or embarrassed, her sweet but frank and unabashed nature, her kindness, and most of all, her radiant smile. I wondered what kept her so busy that she couldn’t spare a minute to stop by to say hi to me, or even to Dylas.

* * *

 

On the third day, I spotted her in the lobby of the hotel, just emerging from the baths as I came down the stairs. I felt myself brightening up at the sight of her, and called a greeting to her. To my surprise, though, she just waved and quickly ran out the door without so much as a word to me. Startled, I stood pondering her strange behavior for a minute, then asked Xiao if she’d noticed Avani acting oddly recently.

She looked surprised, but thought it over before saying that she’d seemed pretty normal, just a little distracted. “But that is to be expected, yes? So much rests on her shoulders.” she asked, giving me a curious look.

“Perhaps,” I said, staring out the door where she’d disappeared, then looking down at Xiao with a smile. “I just hope she realizes she doesn’t have to bear her burden alone.”

After lunch, I asked Dylas if he wanted to go do some training that afternoon. “I don’t know about you,” I said, “But I want to keep in shape, and I haven’t done much the past few days.”

“Can’t today,” was the slightly terse reply. “Too busy with work.”

“Oh?” I replied. “That’s too bad. Guess I’ll have to find someone else or go it alone, then—you’re busy, and I haven’t seen Avani around since we returned to town.”

He looked at me sharply, saying, “You haven’t?”

“No, why? Is something wrong?” I asked, feeling puzzled. “All I’ve seen of her was just her running out of the inn as I came downstairs. She didn’t even return my greeting, beyond just a quick wave as she disappeared out the door. So I couldn’t have said if she looked well or not.”

Dylas looked at me sadly, then said, “I haven’t seen much of her, either. She’s been busy…. And whenever I do see her, she’s preoccupied. I guess she really has a lot on her mind right now.”

* * *

 

I decided to track her down, wanting to be sure she was okay and to see if she wanted to go out to do some training with me. I finally found her in her rooms, working feverishly at her forge. “Honing your blacksmith skills?” I asked, leaning against the doorway watching her. She jumped at the sound of my voice and whirled around to face me. She looked pale, perhaps even unwell. Taking a step forward and feeling more than a little concerned by her appearance, I said, “Hey, are you okay? You aren’t overdoing things, are you?”

She quickly looked away and turned back to her work. “I’m fine. Really. There’s just so much to do. Dylas keeps pestering me to eat and sleep, though, so I’ll be fine,” she said tiredly as she lifted the sword she’d been working on to examine it.

I scowled as I watched her. She didn’t look or act at all like herself, and I found that worrisome. I walked over to her and gently removed the blade from her hand. “Look,” I said. “You’re wearing yourself out. You need a break, or you’ll make yourself sick. I’m worried about you, and I know Dylas is, too. So take a day off, why don’t you?”

To my surprise, she shrank away from me, refusing to look me in the eyes. “Avani? What is it? What’s happened? You’re not acting at all like yourself,” I said, my concern deepening. She just shook her head, opened her mouth as if to say something, then turned and fled the room, leaving me standing there with my mouth hanging open, too startled by her behavior to say anything.

I found her a short while later in Venti’s chamber, nestled up to the slumbering dragon, leaning her cheek against the smooth scales of her neck. She looked like she’d been crying—her eyes were closed, but there was a suspicious dampness in her long, dark green lashes. She didn’t see or hear me, so I withdrew silently, not wanting to disturb either of them.

However, I returned to her suite and penned a quick note apologizing if I’d inadvertently upset her earlier and reminding her that I was her friend, ready to listen and offer whatever assistance I could should she need me. I placed it on her kitchen table and went out the back door and into her gardens. It had begun to rain, so I ran through the gardens and back to the inn. I tried to focus on my translation work, but I again found myself too restless and distracted to accomplish much. By late afternoon, I had made very little progress.

* * *

 

I went to Porcoline’s for my supper that evening, hurrying to get out of the cold autumn rain. I enjoyed a leisurely meal, extended by a few cups of coffee afterwards as I delayed my departure, hoping the rain would cease. It didn’t, so eventually I gave up and made a run for it. When I reached the inn, I was taken by surprise to find Avani standing in the rain outside the inn’s doors. She was soaked to the bone and shivering, and with an exclamation of dismay, I attempted to pull her into the inn. “W-w-wait,” she said, her teeth chattering, “I want to t-talk with you. That’s why I’ve b-been waiting here for you. C-can we go somewhere p-p-private?”

“Avani,” I replied, firmly dragging her towards the door, “You’re soaking wet and half frozen, and you’ll get sick if you don’t get out of those wet clothes and warmed up. Whatever you want to talk about, it can wait a little longer.” Looking crestfallen, she nodded and allowed me to lead her inside. I found Xiao and asked her to take care her—help her out of her wet things and into the hot bath. Then I ran to the castle and found Clorica to ask her to bring a dry change of clothing to the bathhouse for her, and to collect her wet things as well.

After some time, she emerged, looking warmer but still upset—she kept her eyes down and refused to look at me. “What did you want to talk about?” I asked her, wondering what could have her so distraught.

“Not… not here. Can we please go somewhere more private?” she asked, still avoiding my eyes.

I thought for a minute, then said, “Well, with this rain, anywhere outside is out of the question. So I guess that leaves my room or yours. So let’s go to your rooms—at least then I can be sure you get back safe and sound.” She nodded and turned towards the door. I borrowed an umbrella from Lin and caught up to her, opening the umbrella over her as we stepped out into the rain.

We walked in silence through the palace gardens to her suite of rooms. Once there, I turned to her and asked, “Well? What did you want to talk about?” Instead of answering my question, she walked to her fireplace, threw a couple of logs on the low fire, and sat down in one of the chairs. She looked up at me anxiously and asked me to have a seat, so I sat in the chair opposite her and waited, feeling both curious and slightly impatient at her uncharacteristic refusal to get to the point.

After another few moments of silence, I said, “Well? Is something wrong? Has something happened between you and Dylas?”

Startled, she shook her head vigorously, then said, “No! Or maybe… maybe in a way…. A little bit of both I guess.” She sighed, then looked at me miserably.

“Well, you certainly don’t look very happy, I must say,” I commented, puzzled.

She sighed heavily, then clenching her fists until her knuckles turned white, she looked up into my eyes and said, “Leon... I… I love you.”

Thunderstruck by her quiet declaration, I leaned back in my seat, narrowing my eyes at her. “Is… is this some sort of joke? You _can’t_ be serious,” I said, numbly.

“I know. I didn’t intend for it to happen—one doesn’t, you know. And when I realized… I tried to deny it. But… but I can’t pretend anymore. I’m sorry. I know you don’t feel the same way, but I had to tell you… in case maybe somehow I was wrong, and you did, after all.” Tears filled her eyes as she looked away and into the crackling fire. “But it seems that was a vain hope. I’m sorry, Leon. I just couldn’t help it, no matter how hard I tried….”

I went over and knelt next to her chair, gently wiping the tears from her cheeks. “You just caught me by surprise, that’s all,” I said slowly. “I… I need a little time. I know what my answer will be, but… I need time to clear my head. Will you meet me here tomorrow at, say, 10:00? I’ll have my answer for you by then.” Without looking up, she nodded, and I left, forgetting to grab Lin’s umbrella in my confusion.

When I reached the inn, I asked Lin to send up a cup of mulled wine—I felt that I needed something a little more fortifying than tea tonight. I sat in my room, sipping the hot, spiced wine and thinking about Avani… and about Maria. And I knew what I had to say, though I felt as though it would tear me to pieces to say it.


	17. Chapter 17

The next morning, I arrived at Avani’s rooms shortly before 10:00. She was there, waiting for me, pacing nervously. I’d never seen her so uncertain, and I felt both flattered and guilty to be the cause. As I walked in, Clorica appeared in the doorway leading to the rest of the castle, and seeing me there, asked if this was a good time to tidy up the room. Glancing anxiously at me, Avani replied “Well… maybe not the best time. Will you come back later, please?”

Clorica looked sleepily surprised, but only said, “Sure, I can do that. I’ll check back after I run some errands and prepare lunch.” With that, she left, and we were alone.

Avani sat down on a chair by the fire, and I sat in the chair opposite to her. After a moment, she looked up at me. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and she had dark circles that suggested she had slept poorly, if at all. “Well?” she asked, “May I have your answer?”

“First, I need to ask—you _are_ serious about this, aren’t you? You’re honestly not just pulling my leg?” I inquired.

She looked straight into my eyes, and replied, “Yes. I’m very serious.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair, dreading what had to come next. “Well, then I will respond in like kind.” I stood up and walked over to her, picked up her hands in mine, and looked her in the eyes. “I’m sorry, Avani. I can’t be your lover.”

She looked down into the fire, saying, “Oh… I see. Then… then you don’t feel the same as I do, after all.”

“No, it isn’t that at all,” I continued. “How could I help it, after all you’ve done for me, all you’ve taught me? _You_ are the one who showed me how to really care deeply for another, the one who taught me what love means.”

She looked quickly back at me, confused and slightly flushed, saying, “Then… why?”

I knelt before her, still holding her hands in mine, and tried to explain. “There are two reason it can’t work. First, you already have a lover—someone whom I’ve come to regard as a friend. I can’t just ignore his claim to your affection. It would hurt him deeply to lose you. And second, I swore long ago that I’d never marry. So as courtship is merely a forerunner to marriage, it follows that I also cannot enter into a romantic relationship, with you or anyone else.” I stood up and released her hands. “So you see, I can’t accept. I’m truly sorry, Avani. We can continue as friends—and I very much hope we will—but nothing more. Please, just… give up on me.” I felt as though my heart was dying inside me as I watched her, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes as she stared with unseeing eyes into the flames.

She sat in silence for a little while, then slowly said, “Hypothetically speaking, if neither of those objections was an issue… _then_ what would your answer be? How do you feel about me, _really_? Would you gladly accept, or are those only excuses? Would you just find more reasons to turn me down?”

“It’s a moot point,” I said. “But if— _if_ —Dylas wasn’t already your lover, and _if_ I hadn’t made that vow so very long ago… then there is nothing I can think of that I would want more than for us to be lovers. But that isn’t the case, so as I said, it’s irrelevant.”

She jumped to her feet, and with a fiery look in her eyes, she said, “Then if you want me even half as much as I want you, why let any of that stop us? Yes, Dylas is my lover. But that doesn’t _have_ to change, does it? Where is it written that I can’t have two lovers—or even more, for that matter? If you and he can accept such an arrangement, then why should it be an obstacle? And if he _can’t_ accept it, I won’t try to make him stay—the choice would be his to stay or leave. And as for marriage, I’m asking you to become my _lover_ , not my _husband_. I don’t know what it was like in your time, and for that matter, I’m none too sure about _this_ time, thanks to my amnesia. But I don’t feel like I need to marry you in order to be with you. I won’t tie you down, if you’ll agree to do the same for me.”

I looked at her, surprised—perhaps even slightly shocked—by her suggestion. “Are… are you _sure_ you’d be okay with that?” I asked her, hesitantly.

“Yes. I’m certain. Very certain,” she replied.

“And what would you do about Dylas? I couldn’t possibly agree to see you behind his back,” I asked dubiously. “I could never be so underhanded as that. I’d feel badly enough as it is. Besides, clandestine affairs aren’t really my style, anyway. If I were to be with somebody, I wouldn’t want to hide it—I’d want everyone to know.”

“I’ll tell him, of course,” she answered, looking surprised. “I’d _never_ sneak around like that. The only reason I haven’t told him anything so far is that I didn’t have anything _to_ tell him. I’m sure he won’t be thrilled… and I know he’s kind of getting the short end of the stick, since he didn’t bargain for this back when I asked him to be my lover. But to be honest… I think he knew how I felt about you even before I realized it myself. So I don’t think this will come as a surprise.”

I looked at her, feeling my spirits lifting at the sight of her looking so fiercely determined to win my heart despite all obstacles. “Well, well. You certainly are entertaining,” I said as I broke into a grin. I mussed her hair, ignoring her protests, and said, “I’m not sure how I feel about sharing someone as adorable as you, but I’m willing to give it a shot…” I pulled her to me and enfolded her in an embrace, whispering “…and thank you,” into her hair before releasing her.

Soon afterwards, I returned to my room, leaving her to the task of bringing Dylas up to date. I was rather dreading my next meeting with him—I really did like the taciturn young man, and I enjoyed his companionship. I knew that my weakness for Avani had placed that friendship in jeopardy, yet I hoped somehow it would be salvageable. I remembered the conversation we’d had in my room some time ago, regarding his feelings for her—how he didn’t think that they were destined to remain together, and that he’d be glad just for her to be happy. I wondered if he’d still feel the same once those assertions were put to the test. Although the idea of Avani maintaining two lovers didn’t thrill me, at the same time, I thought that if it made her and Dylas happy to stay together, I could certainly bear to share her with him. After all, if I wasn’t willing to give myself to her wholly and completely, I couldn’t very well ask her to do so for me.

* * *

 

That evening, Dylas came to my room. He walked in, looking perturbed. “So,” he said, “Avani’s asked you to be her lover, too, I hear.”

“So it would seem,” I replied cautiously as I stood, uncertain what his mood was.

“I don’t like the idea of sharing her with you—or anyone—but I guess it’s better than losing her all together. And I guess it could have been worse… at least she didn’t pick Doug.”

I gave a half smile at the thought of such a love triangle, then said, “I know, and I _am_ sorry. I did try to resist—but in the end, I found it impossible to refuse her. I’m taking the view that we both have the goal of seeing her happy and of looking out for her. And I hope we can continue to be friends—it makes working together easier, if nothing else.”

“Yeah,” he said, scowling at me. “I just have one thing to say first….” And with that, he punched me in the gut. I doubled over and sank to the floor, gasping, the breath knocked clean out of me. He looked down at me, his face expressionless, and said, “There. That’s all. Now we’re cool again.” And with that, he turned and left.


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning, Avani came by my room after her customary bath. “Has Dylas come to see you yet? He said he wanted to talk about some things with you after we had our discussion yesterday.”

“Yes,” I replied, “he came around last night. His syntax was a little crude, but he made his point.” She gave me a puzzled look, and I smiled at her, saying, “Don’t fret. I think it’s okay. Now it’s up to you to manage not one but _two_ lovers.”

She blushed furiously—ye gods, she was adorable when she blushed—and changed the subject. “So… during all that time when I was trying to sort things out in my head and avoiding both you and Dylas, I also got a lot of work done at my forge. Do you want to come around and see what I have for you?”

“I’d love to come to your room and see what you have in store for me there,” I replied with a wicked grin. Avani rewarded me with another blush, and off we went.

She had indeed made substantial progress with her blacksmithing skills—she must have been at work night and day at her forge, hammering out metal while she likewise hammered out her feelings. She had forged a new spear for me—a sturdy, improved style of corseque that she said was imbued with both poison and with Light magic. She had also crafted some higher-quality armor, boots, and a shield.

As I tried on the gear to check the fit—which was perfect—Dylas walked in. He strolled up, giving me a not-altogether-unfriendly nod and smiling at Avani. “Hey, perfect timing!” Avani exclaimed. She turned back to the shelves where she kept her projects and materials, and after a moment, pulled out some massive, weighted gloves and tossed them to him.

He turned them over in his hand, complimenting her improved skill, and then tried them on. “They’re imbued with Earth magic and made using some special stones that increase your chances of landing a critically damaging blow.” She had new boots and armor for him, too—the same as mine, only sized differently. Dylas was taller than me by a few inches, and he had a bulkier build.

“Now,” she said, lifting a scale vest over her head and fastening a feathered talisman around her neck, tucking it down between her shirt and the armor, “if you’re both free, why don’t we go take our new gear for a trial run? I want to check out where this Maya Road is located, for one thing, and for another, I need to restock my supplies after doing so much smithing.” She fastened scabbards for her new long sword and her dual swords to her belt and looked up at us.

“I’m game,” I said with a grin, gripping my new spear.

“Yeah, sure. It’s a slow day at the restaurant anyway, so I’m sure Porcoline won’t miss me,” Dylas replied, putting his new gloves back on. Soon we were in the airship, heading for the Delirium Lava Ruins. Avani hoped to find some ore there in the volcanic caverns, and there were plenty of monsters there to test our new equipment on, too.

This was my first trip through the Ruins, and I was amazed that Avani was able to keep such a good pace through the rough terrain and the oppressive heat. Some caverns contained no more than stone bridges surrounded by pools of molten rock, and the heat was so intense in these that it was injurious to just be in the cavern. In some places, bursts of flame shot out of small cracks or holes in the ground. The denizens of these caverns ranged from buffaloos and palm cats on the upper levels near the opening, where it was coolest, to trolls and the malicious fire spirits known as ignes in the deeper, hotter caverns.

In one of the lowest, deepest caverns resided a type of large monster known as a rafflesia. It was a plant monster—sort of a mother of all plant monsters—huge, vicious, and capable of spewing toxins that could sicken, paralyze, seal magic abilities, or put to sleep anyone who received a dose of it. Long, slender vines snaked out from its base, whipping its opponents, while thick roots coiled around its opponents’ feet. Its head was a single massive bloom consisting of two huge petals, both edged with tooth-like serrations.

I started with my spear, but it seemed resistant to the toxins. So instead I fell back and started hitting it with an onslaught of spells, alternating between water and wind attacks. Dylas unleashed an onslaught of kicks and punches, and Avani whirled around it in a blur of motion, slashing the writhing vines and roots into pieces with her dual swords before attacking the main stalk. Before long, the battle was over and it was on its way back to the Forest of Beginnings.

Avani quickly ported us out of there, and we emerged from the suffocating heat of the caves into the cool, moist air of a perpetual autumn. She had found some decent deposits of ores in the ruins—enough to at least partly replenish her supplies—and was satisfied with the day’s efforts.

From the cave opening, we made our way roughly west along the Autumn Road until eventually we turned south to follow a new path. A ways farther along the road, we reached a bridge where we discovered a single Sechs soldier standing guard, who dashed across as soon as he spotted us coming. Before we could follow, however, he succeeded in triggering explosives of some sort, blasting the bridge to pieces and leaving us no way to reach the Maya Road just beyond the deep chasm.

However, that was of lesser concern right then. Avani had just begun to run across the bridge in hot pursuit of the soldier when the explosives went off, throwing her back in the blast. She landed some distance from the edge, unconscious but alive. I ran to her and did a quick examination for broken bones, and upon finding no obvious sign of breakage, told Dylas to lift her, very carefully, in his arms so that I could cast Escape—I didn’t want to run the risk of reinforcements arriving while trying to heal her, especially as I only had enough energy to cast it once at most, after spending the day engaged in magical combat.

We returned to her rooms, Dylas still carrying her gently while I followed with the items she’d dropped in the blast. He set her gently on her bed, and I cast a healing spell on her. That did indeed use the last of my reserves and left me drained and weak, but at least it was enough to make her more comfortable for the moment. Dylas removed her armor and scorched clothing, hesitating a moment as he looked at me, then shrugging as he muttered somewhat dourly, “Well, I suppose that if you haven’t seen her undressed yet, you will soon.”

She had some fairly painful looking burns, though I wasn’t sure which were from the explosion and which were from the fiery Ruins. None appeared to be too severe, though, and I knew I could heal her injuries—once I’d had some food and rest to restore my depleted energy. As Dylas gently tucked her into bed, she stirred as if awakening, but after opening her eyes briefly, she closed them tightly again as if the light pained her. A moment later, as we quietly discussed how to best keep an eye on her while still getting the rest we needed to recuperate from our own injuries, she said simply, in a low, rasping voice, “Please don’t leave me.”

We looked at each other, uncertain to whom she was speaking, and Dylas kneeled down next to her bed, saying, “Who, Avani? Who do you want not to leave?”

“Both of you,” she replied, barely above a whisper as she slipped back into sleep.

“Uhh… I….” he said, looking startled, first at her and then at me.

“Well… why not?” I said thoughtfully. “If that’s what she wants right now. It’s quite a large bed. You can sleep on one side of her and I’ll sleep on the other. I think there’s plenty of room. We’ve slept in close quarters before while camping, though admittedly not _that_ close. And it’ll allow us all to rest while at the same time keeping her near enough to us to monitor her.”

He thought about it for a minute, then tersely nodded agreement. “All right. We can give it a try,” he said, standing.

“Then I’ll head over to the inn to pick up a few things, and I’ll also stop to fill Arthur in on the destruction of the bridge. I’ll be back shortly,” I said as I turned towards her back door.

After I stopped by my room to pick up some pyjamas and a change of clothing—mine reeked of smoke and sulfur from the Ruins—I headed to Arthur’s rooms, Sano and Uno following behind. He looked grave when I told him of the evening’s events—the soldiers blowing up the bridge and Avani’s resulting injuries. I told him that she should be better in the morning and could come discuss the situation with him then, but that I’d wanted him to know as soon as possible. He thanked me, and I returned to the castle.

When I arrived, Dylas was in the process of making a simple dinner for us. He’d broiled some fish for me and made some porridge for himself, setting aside a portion for Avani should she want it. Meanwhile, my foxes scurried around, yipping in concern at Avani’s condition, before finally settling down nestled up against her, their noses resting on their paws as they watched her in a silent vigil. Dylas, of course, was unable to see or hear them, but I wondered if Avani was aware of them on some level as she slept.

We ate, saying little as we both were near exhaustion by then. After we finished, I washed up while Dylas took some porridge and tried to awaken Avani enough to feed her. She was too deeply asleep though, so after a few attempts he gave up. We changed into pyjamas—apparently he kept some spare clothing there—and then looked at the bed and then each other.

“I’ll… umm, I guess I’ll take the side against the wall.” Dylas said, climbing in carefully on Avani’s far side. He gently pulled her nearer to the center to make room for me, and I climbed in on the other side. She lay partly curled into a semi-fetal position, facing Dylas. I spooned in behind her and draped an arm across her side; Dylas lay on his side facing her, his arm lying across her waist below mine. “This, uhh… this feels kinda weird,” Dylas whispered over her head.

“Oh?” I replied with a yawn as my foxes settled down again at our feet. “Well, I expect we’ll adjust to it soon enough. Besides, we won’t even notice in our sleep.”

“I… guess not. G’night then,” he said, but I fell asleep even before I could form a reply.


	19. Chapter 19

When I awoke in the dim light of the late autumn pre-dawn, I found myself lying on my back, Avani curled up against me, my arm wrapped around her shoulders and her arm flung over my stomach, still sound asleep. Dylas likewise lay sound asleep, spooned up to her with an arm draped over her waist. Still worn out from the day before, I closed my eyes and had just started to doze off again when suddenly Vishnal bounded into the room.

“It’s morning, Princess! Time to get up!” he called out in his eager, cheerful voice as he first tended to the fire, building it back up for the day. He trotted over to the bed, then stopped and blushed furiously at the sight of the three of us all asleep together. “Oh! Uhh… a-am I interrupting anything?” he stammered.

“Just our blissful repose,” I yawned. “Let us sleep, Vishnal, would you please? Your beloved Princess is still recovering from yesterday’s injuries.” I closed my eyes and started to drift off again as the young butler slipped back out of the room, quietly stammering an apology for disturbing us.

Soon afterwards, I was startled awake by Avani as she suddenly clutched me tightly, her nails digging painfully into my side, apparently in the throes of a nightmare. She whimpered, and as I looked over at her, I was startled to see tears streaming from her tightly closed eyes. She mumbled incoherently, shivering as if cold or frightened. Suddenly she gasped and shoved against me so hard I was nearly pushed out of bed, and she moaned “No, Bhima, don’t… please… not…” before beginning to sob in her sleep. Then she sat bolt upright, screaming “Rishi!” as she awoke, staring blankly with dazed, unseeing eyes.

Dylas jumped and sat up, startled out of his sound sleep, and I put my arms around her and attempted to soothe her. “Hey, it’s okay now. You were having a bad dream. Shhh, you’re okay,” I whispered as I held her and stroked her hair as she sat, rigid and shaking at first, then gradually relaxing as she awakened.

“What the hell happened?” Dylas asked, bewildered and still half-asleep.

“Avani had a nightmare,” I explained. “What was it? Do you want to tell us about it?” I asked her.

“I… I don’t know. I don’t remember it. I remember being terrified, but not why,” she replied, still looking confused but no longer quite as frightened.

“Who or what’s ‘Rishi’?” Dylas asked, stifling a yawn.

“Rishi?” she repeated. “I don’t know. Why do you ask?”

“You were yelling it—that’s what woke me up,” Dylas replied, looking at her in surprise. “Don’t you remember?”

“No… I don’t remember saying anything,” she replied slowly.

“You also mentioned someone named Bhima before that,” I added. “Does that ring a bell?” She just shook her head, looking troubled. “Hmmm… interesting,” I said, giving her a thoughtful look.

* * *

 

Dylas suggested that he make breakfast for us, and I proposed that afterwards, we take Avani to see Jones to be sure she was mending satisfactorily. We dressed, then Dylas went to cook while I sat on the sofa and held Avani in my arms to cast a healing spell on her. It took a few repeats before she began to look like herself again, and by then Dylas was bringing breakfast out.

He looked at us as he set a couple of cups of coffee on the small table in front of the fireplace, and asked, “Why do you hold her like that to heal her? She doesn’t often hold people when she heals them. Does it work better that way? Or is your magic not as powerful as hers?”

I grinned, and said, “No, as far as I know it doesn’t make any difference. I just want to hold her, that’s all.” Dylas snorted and stalked back into the kitchen as I laughed at Avani’s reddening cheeks.

Dylas had cooked a quick breakfast of hot cereal for Avani and himself, though he’d thoughtfully grilled some squid for me instead. We sat all together on the sofa before the fire, eating our breakfasts and sipping our coffee. We all seemed to be in a pensive mood, and it was a quiet meal.

Afterwards, I cleaned up in the kitchen, giving Dylas a chance to be alone with Avani for a few minutes. When I returned with more coffee after I’d finished, they were sitting together on the sofa, his arm tightly around her shoulders—protective as always, perhaps even a trifle possessive. I refilled their cups and mine, washed the empty coffee pot, and then joined them.

After we finished our coffee, we left for the clinic. Jones examined Avani carefully, and pronounced her fit, with only minimal ill effects that should be gone within a day or two. Then when he had completed her examination, I brought up her nightmare and the names she had cried out in her sleep. Jones found that as interesting as I had, and he asked some questions about exactly what had happened in the explosion. He sat and thought for several minutes, absently tapping a pencil against the desk at which he was seated.

“It’s _possible_ ,” he said finally, “that the explosion and the subsequent blow to your head were enough to jolt some of your memories free. But I’m at a loss as to why so little and only in your subconscious. I’ll do some research, but I’ve never heard of anything quite like that before. Meanwhile, as always, I suggest you don’t fret about the past. Focus instead on the here and now. You’re young—you have your whole life before you. It would be a pity to wake up one day and find life had passed you by while you were busy looking behind, wouldn’t it?” Avani nodded, and Jones continued, saying, “You know, those _are_ pretty unusual names. If you wanted, I would think Arthur could make some inquiries on your behalf, trying to track them down.”

Her eyes widened, and she vigorously shook her head, saying, “No, I don’t think I want to do that.” He looked at her, surprised, and she explained, “You see, I don’t remember those names or the dream or anything. But whatever it was that I dreamed scared me so badly that I still feel my blood run cold whenever I try to remember. So… I don’t think I _want_ to find them, for now at least. Maybe someday I’ll get my memory back, and then I might feel differently. But for now, I think I’ll try my best to let go of the past. That’s what everyone always advises me to do anyway, isn’t it?”

* * *

 

It took a few more days before Avani was fully recovered from the explosion. Dylas and I continued to sleep with her each night, as she seemed to feel more at ease when nestled between the two of us. No more nightmares plagued her sleep, however, and after her injuries had healed, she gently kicked us out, saying that she needed some time to herself to think. She never lost sight of her goal of retrieving the rune spheres and saving Venti, and now she was ready to plan her next moves, it seemed.

As he shouldered his rucksack in preparation to return to his own room, Dylas asked Avani if she’d like to go out with him on a lunch date the next day. She absent-mindedly agreed, though I had some misgivings—she didn’t seem to be really paying attention to what he was saying. Dylas didn’t appear to notice, though, and took off with a smug look on his face. I shook my head and shrugged as I grabbed my pack and followed him through the back door. Back in my room at the inn, I quickly immersed myself in a translation I’d been working on partly for Arthur and partly for myself—a book that had intrigued me as soon as he mentioned it to me, as it was written in the old script and illegible to most in this present day.

I was hard at work on this translation the next morning when Avani stopped by. “Hey, Leon. I want to train up some of the younger, more able-bodied townsfolk to assist with the town’s defense if needed, and I wondered if you’d be willing to lend a hand? I could particularly use help with the magic-users. Those would be Arthur, Kiel, Meg, and Dolce. How about it?”

“Hmmm…,” I said, looking up from my work. “Well, I am a little busy, but I can probably spare you a few hours… _if_ you feed me dinner tonight,” I said with a mischievous grin.

“Don’t I always?” she replied, drily amused.

“Okay then, who’s first?” I said, standing up and stretching.

“Kiel needs the most training, I think, so let’s start with him if he’s available. I’ll need to see what gear he has—he’s almost certain to need some equipment. Luckily I have a storeroom full of weapons and armor. Shall we track him down?”

We found Kiel nearby, on his way to the inn from Porcoline’s restaurant. He enthusiastically (maybe a little _too_ enthusiastically) agreed to join her, and we took the shortcut through her garden to her rooms, where she soon had him outfitted for battle. “I want you to focus on learning, rather than fighting, so keep close to Leon so you can observe him in combat,” Avani instructed him as we left through the same door.

“Where are we going?” I asked her, curiously, as she stopped in the middle of her garden, near a massive gourd.

“Nowhere,” she said with a mischievous grin.

“Huh?” I said, confused.

She laughed, and gesturing at the gourd, she said, “Remember the raccoon demon? This was his gift to me: a field dungeon seed. I’ve grown a magical dungeon right here in my backyard—and it changes each time I go in, too. Perfect for training, don’t you think?”

I was intrigued—I’d never heard of such a thing before. I looked it over, noting that it had a large opening in one side from which faint screeches and howls emanated. “Ready?” she asked, grabbing her dual swords. “Let’s go!” And with that, she plunged into the opening, Kiel and I close behind her.

The dungeon consisted of winding paths and clearings populated by an odd assortment of monsters, ranging from little woolies and cluckadoodles clear up to the final monster of the fourth and final level—a greater daemon. Kiel kept close to me, as promised, attacking only the weaker opponents. Even so, he took some near-critical damage on a couple of occasions, as he himself was still quite weak. I was sure a few days under Avani’s tutelage would improve his condition, though.

Afterwards, we returned to her rooms, where she grilled some fish for me, cut a slice of cake for Kiel, and tossed together a salad for herself. As we were sitting and eating and discussing the day’s training, Avani’s door suddenly banged open. Dylas stalked in, eyes blazing as he saw the three of us eating together, looking up at him with startled faces. “Dylas? What is it? What’s wrong?” Avani said, rising to her feet, her brow furrowed with concern. “You look absolutely furious—did Doug do something again?”

“I waited for you,” he hissed through clenched teeth, “for _four fucking hours_. Then I spent another six hours trying to find you, thinking maybe something must have happened to you, since you never showed up for our date. I searched everywhere for you—in the town and all over the plains. I was _worried_ , dammit! And now I finally find you _here_ , with your _other_ loverboy, after you went and stood me up!”

Avani turned white, and said, “ _Date_? Did we….”

“You don’t even _remember_? Damn it all, Avani, I thought you were better than that!” With that, he turned on his heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Avani stood there, stricken and pale, shocked by what had just transpired. She turned to me, tears gathering in her bewildered eyes, and quickly sat down. She buried her face in her hands, saying, “I don’t remember having a date with him—not at all!”

I put my arm around her, saying, “I’m sorry, Avani. I had completely forgotten myself, or I’d have said something this morning. Dylas invited you to lunch before he left last night, but you were so preoccupied that I don’t think you even heard him. You just sort of agreed in that distracted way people do when they’re not really listening—but he didn’t notice that you weren’t paying attention. I am sorry, truly I am.”

She shook her head, tears running down her cheeks, and said, “No, Leon, it’s not your fault. I’m sorry, but I have to leave now. I have to find him—I need to get this sorted out. You two can stay here as long as you like—help yourself to anything in the refrigerator.” And she rose and ran out the door.


	20. Chapter 20

Kiel went home shortly after Avani left—no doubt to begin telling everyone what had happened, “to make sure there are no misunderstandings,” as he no doubt would have put it. I sighed in sympathy for her, for her feelings upon discovering that her very private affairs had been made public, and sat down with a book to wait for her return.

It was well over an hour before she came in, and from her appearance, I surmised things hadn’t gone well. Her eyes were red from weeping, and she looked somewhat bedraggled, as if she’d been running all over for the past hour—which she may well have been doing. I set my book down, saying, “No luck?”

She shook her head as she came and sat down next to me, leaning against me tiredly. “No. I found him finally—it seemed to take forever to track him down—but he wouldn’t talk to me. He just gave me a look of pure disgust, told me he couldn’t believe I’d treat him like that, and walked off. He wouldn’t give me a chance to explain or apologize or anything.”

I put my arm around her shoulders and gave her a little squeeze, saying, “He’s a stubborn one, Dylas is. He’ll cool down—eventually. But it might take him a while. He’s the sort that the more he cares, the more keenly he feels injuries—real or imagined. And he _does_ care deeply about you. Just give him some time, and sooner or later he’ll come ‘round.” She nodded, and I looked at her sharply. “Hey, will you be okay?” I asked her, concerned by her lassitude.

She looked up at me sadly and gave me a half-hearted smile, saying, “I suppose. Sorry for being out of sorts tonight. I’ll try to be back to my usual cheerful self again by tomorrow.”

I ruffled her hair affectionately, then said, “Hey, why don’t we go to the lake tomorrow? We can go fishing if you like, or just sit and enjoy the view.”

She nodded, then looked at me, saying, “That sounds nice. Thanks, Leon. And don’t worry—I _did_ hear _this_ invitation,” she added, wincing slightly.

“I wasn’t worried,” I said with a fond smile. “I’ll come by for you around 11:00, and I’ll pick up some boxed lunches to take with us. See you then?”

She agreed, then rose and gave me a tight hug, whispering, “Thank you, Leon,” before releasing me and darting out of the room.

* * *

 

The next morning, when I stopped by the restaurant to order our lunches, I was surprised that Dylas wasn’t there. Normally he’d be getting things ready for the lunch crowd, but Porcoline was alone. I’d hoped to give him a piece of my mind, but it seemed that would have to wait for now. I figured I’d catch up to him sooner or later, so I paid for the lunches and headed to the castle. Avani was ready and waiting for me when I arrived. Her face was still a little pale and she had dark circles under her eyes, but she made a sincere effort to be cheerful, just as she’d promised.

As we left, she said, “Oh, if you don’t mind, I need to stop by Carnation’s before we head to the lake. I have a question for Lumie, and I’m afraid I won’t catch her in time if I wait until after our picnic. She often closes early if the weather’s nice.”

“Sure thing,” I replied, smiling down at her.

We headed over to Melody Street and into the flower shop, but it was Amber who manned the counter this morning. “Hi, Amber, is Lumie still upstairs? I have a question for her,” Avani asked as she looked up the stairs.

“Oh… uh, yes she is, but…” Amber replied hesitantly.

“Thanks!” Avani called back as she darted up the stairs.

I looked curiously at Amber, who seemed fearful and distressed, and I thought she was giving off an odd vibe this morning. Suddenly I was filled with a sense of foreboding and turned to stop Avani, but she had already vanished up the stairs. I ran after her, taking the steps two at a time, and reached the second floor just in time to hear a shriek coming from the back of the living quarters.

I bolted down the hall and found Avani standing in front of a doorway, white as a sheet, her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. I turned to look in the direction of her gaze… and saw Dylas in bed with Illuminata. Given their relative positions, there could be no question at all of what they had been doing. Dylas scrambled out of her bed, naked, disheveled, and still partly at attention, and Avani turned and fled. I looked at Dylas in contempt, saying, “You _really_ are a first-class idiot, you know that?” Then fighting back the urge to deck him, I turned and chased after Avani.

She was fleet of foot, however, and she had bolted out of the town gates and into the wilds of the Selphia Plains before I caught up to her where she had collapsed, sobbing, against a large, mossy tree stump. I knelt down next to her, gently stroking her hair and murmuring soothingly to her as she wept. She turned and threw her arms around my neck, burying her face in my shoulder as she sobbed.

After several minutes, her tears slowed enough that she was able to speak coherently again. “That… that _jackass_!” she wailed. “I can’t believe he cheated on me so quickly! He didn’t even give me a chance to say anything first. He must have just been _dying_ for an excuse to hop into bed with her. Or maybe they’ve been lovers for some time already, and I just didn’t know. At least I told him about you _first_ —I didn’t go behind his back like this. And you and I haven’t even….” and with that, a new flood of tears began.

“Shhh, it’ll be okay, Avani. Don’t cry. Here, let’s forget about the lake for now and head back to your place. I’ll make you a nice, hot cup of tea. You’ll feel better after you drink it. Come on, you can lean on me.” She nodded and took my proffered hand. I pulled her up and put my arm around her, pulling her close to me as we walked back to town.

* * *

 

When we reached her rooms, Dylas was there, waiting for her to return. What little color had returned to her cheeks drained again to white, and she swayed unsteadily against me, as if she’d been slapped. “What do _you_ want?” I asked him with a scowl, my ears flattening back against my skull.

“I want to talk to you,” he replied, looking at her as he spoke.

“You mean like she wanted to talk to you last night, when you wouldn’t give her the time of day? What makes you think _she_ wants to talk to _you_ right now, after what you’ve done?” I said, keeping my arm around her protectively.

“How about you fuck off and let her talk for herself?” Dylas said, finally turning to glare at me. “Avani…” he said, looking back to her.

She abruptly turned and walked back to the door, and opened it before she turned with a cold look to Dylas. “The door is right here, Dylas. I really don’t want to talk to you right now. I need a little time to recover after the shock of seeing _my lover_ in bed with another woman, you know? Or are you my _ex_ -lover now? I have to say that it sure looks that way to me after this morning.”

“Oh yeah? Well, what about you? _You_ have two lovers—why can’t I?” Dylas snapped angrily.

“I never said you couldn’t,” she replied frostily. “But if you think back, first of all, when I realized that I wanted a relationship with Leon, too, I came to you and told you about it—I didn’t see him behind your back. I don’t know if this is the first time you’ve done this to me, or if this has been going on right under my nose for some time now, but either way, you’re sneaking around while I was honest with you. Second, although Leon _is_ my lover, we haven’t yet slept together. So you are—or _were_ —my only lover, in the physical sense of the word. Third, I’ve taken two lovers because I love two men. Can you honestly tell me that you love Illuminata? Or are you just _using_ her? And finally, I just want to add that I have _no_ memory _at all_ of you asking me on that date. Leon overheard the conversation and said that it seemed like I was preoccupied and not really listening to what you said, and for _that_ , I apologize. But,” she added, her eyes suddenly blazing with an inner fire that bore witness to her unquenchable spirit, “I’ll be _damned_ if I’m going to grovel on the ground like a whipped cur while you go out and revenge fuck every single woman in town to get me back for some imaginary slight! Now get out of my house—I don’t want to see or hear from you for three days, do you hear me? If by then you have thought it over and decided you want to try to make amends, then come see me on the fourth day from today, and I’ll _consider_ it.” Then without waiting to see if he complied, she turned on her heel and stalked up the stairs to her study, slamming the door behind her.

I looked at Dylas, who had gone a ghastly shade of pale green by this point, and just stared at him. There simply were no words for that moment. He looked completely shattered by Avani’s revelations and her rage, and he apparently felt sickened by his own actions in their new light. “What… what have I done?” he said in a shaky voice.

“You screwed up, that’s what. Maybe the first thing you’ve ever had going really _right_ in your life, and you screwed it up. Not just an average screw up, either—this is really a top-notch royal cock-up. You’d better be prepared to kiss some _serious_ ass in four days,” I replied coolly. “And even that might not be enough, to be honest.”

He looked at me for a moment, then said, “Is… is what she said true? That you and she haven’t…”

“Do you _really_ think she would lie to you? If you doubt her veracity, you certainly don’t deserve her,” I replied scornfully before turning my back on him and following Avani upstairs, leaving him alone and dazed.


	21. Chapter 21

There was no sign of Avani in her study, but the heavy door leading to her workroom and smithy was slightly ajar. From within, I could hear the furious clanging of metal on metal. I passed through the doorway and found her there, pounding vigorously on a sword blank. From the manner in which she worked, it was clear that she was simply blowing off steam with some hard physical labor rather than trying to craft a quality weapon.

She paused when I came in and looked at me, her eyes still sparking with anger. She wiped the sweat from her brow, leaving dark streaks across her forehead in the process. “Well? Is he gone?” she said, tersely.

I shrugged my shoulder. “No idea, I didn’t wait around to make sure he left. If he hasn’t yet, he probably will as soon as he gets his sea legs back,” I replied drily. She looked at me questioningly, and I explained, “He looked seasick, as though he might pass out or puke any minute.”

She snorted, saying, “Good. Serves him right. I still can’t believe….” and with that, she turned back to her work and began hammering again with a vengeance.

After watching her for several minutes and seeing no sign of her anger subsiding, I put a hand on her shoulder to get her attention. “Hey,” I said as she looked up at me, “how about we go clear out some monster infestations? It might be a more effective use of your energy.”

She set her hammer down, and thought for a minute. “Sure,” she said, “but I’d like a bath first—I have sooty sweat dripping into my eyes!”

I laughed, and we headed back downstairs. Dylas had indeed left by then, so we grabbed our gear from her storeroom and headed out the back door, through her gardens and towards the inn. I spotted Dylas down the road as we reached the inn, looking utterly dejected as he slowly walked up to the restaurant door. Serves him right, though, I thought angrily to myself as I held the door for Avani.

We enjoyed long soaks in the fragrant baths, then met up in the lobby. I bought a cold juice for her, then we went to my room to pick up a few things and check on my foxes before setting out for the airship. Avani asked if I had any place in mind, and I suggested we return to the cave in Sercerezo Hill where the Sechsons had installed their secret lab. I thought it likely that a number of vicious creatures still roamed those maze-like caverns. She agreed, and off we went. We reached the cave after a few small skirmishes with monsters in the wild, and after taking a moment to check our gear and prepare ourselves, we headed in.

As I’d suspected, there were still numerous monsters lurking in the large, shadowy caverns. Avani fought like a demon, venting her fury and frustration on the unlucky monsters that crossed her path. I could barely keep up with her, she moved so quickly, and she was unleashing such power in each blow that I could barely get in a jab with my spear or cast a single spell before she’d entirely annihilated the denizens of each cavern. So for the time being, I kept back and let her have free rein, conserving my energy for healing and backup, should either be needed. I was concerned, though, about how much energy she was using, and wondered if she had enough food at home—I knew that at this rate, her appetite would be enormous by the time we’d finished.

Sure enough, by the time she’d had enough and we returned to her rooms, she was drained and famished. Looking in her kitchen, I thought to myself that she _really_ needed to go shopping, urgently. For the time being, I tracked down Vishnal and asked him to order some food from Porcoline’s, giving him enough money to cover the expense. He happily obliged, always ecstatic to do anything for his dearly beloved Princess. As he left, it occurred to me to wonder if Dylas would be delivering it—that could be awkward. But as it happened, Vishnal waited for the order and brought it back himself. When I asked him why Dylas wasn’t doing the deliveries, he said that Porcoline had mentioned that the waiter was feeling unwell and had gone to bed. As well he should, I thought grimly as I took the food into the kitchen.

While we were eating, a knock came on the front door. Before Avani could move, the door opened and Illuminata stepped in, her face pale and eyes red from crying. She simply stared silently at the elf, waiting for her to speak. After a moment of nervous hesitation, she began to apologize profusely. “I’m so sorry, Avani,” she began, and I had to admit, she sounded sincere. “I… I know there’s really no excuse, but… but Dylas said that you didn’t care about him anymore, that you’d dumped him for Leon, and, well… I-I get envious sometimes, seeing everyone else running around with lovers. Mine left years ago, you see… and elves live such long lives. Sometimes I get so lonely… because even if we aren’t human, we still feel as humans do. But if I’d known that you hadn’t broken up with him, I swear I’d never have done… _that_. Can you ever forgive me?”

Avani set her dish down on the table and stood up, walked over to Lumie, and said, “I just have one question. How long has this been going on between you and Dylas?”

Lumie looked her in her eyes and said, “He came to me late last night for the first time, and he stayed the night with me. That’s the extent of it.”

To my surprise—thinking that Avani was going to slap her or at least tell her to get out—she put her arms around Lumie and hugged her tightly. Lumie looked taken aback, and then she began to cry silent tears as she hesitantly returned the embrace.

“I’m sorry you got caught up in our fight, Lumie,” Avani said softly, and I wondered at her generosity of heart, to be so quick to forgive a woman who only that morning had been caught in bed with her lover. “Dylas was using you to get revenge on me for something that was really all in his head in the first place. It was terrible and wrong of him to do that to you, and I certainly don’t blame you for it. Dylas bears sole responsibility for his actions. I’m not angry with you, so please don’t worry about it anymore.”

Lumie nodded, and turned away, saying “Thank you, Avani,” in a hoarse whisper before running out the door.

“You’re pretty amazing, you know that?” I told her as she sat back down beside me.

She looked at me in surprise, saying, “Huh? Why’s that?”

“Oh, nothing, just thinking out loud,” I replied with a smile. “Here, try a bite of this,” I added, spearing a particularly tasty looking shrimp from my plate and popping it into her mouth, distracting her from further questions.

When we had finished eating and cleaned up, I looked at her and said, “You know, I still owe you a date. Do you want to try again tomorrow? Are you up for that?”

She thought a moment, then said, “I’d like that, but do you mind just staying in? The weather is supposed to be pretty awful tomorrow, I heard. Besides, I’ve enjoyed our evening together, and I wouldn’t mind just spending some more quiet time like that with you, curled up on the sofa in front of the fire, reading or talking or whatever. Unless that would bore you?”

“You _never_ bore me,” I replied with a smile. “That’s one of the things I love about you.” She looked startled and blushed so adorably, I couldn’t resist gently stroking her rosy pink cheek before turning to leave. “So shall I be here, say, around 10:00?”

“Sounds perfect. That gives me time to finish my morning chores, provided that it does rain. See you tomorrow, then,” she said as she walked me to the door.

* * *

 

I awoke the next morning to a terrible thunderstorm. Rain was falling so heavily that it was difficult to see through it, and thunder boomed frequently as lightning flashed repeatedly in the sky. Definitely a day for staying in if possible, I thought to myself.

As I stared out the window at the dreary weather, Xiao popped in with my breakfast tray. I had developed a taste for Lin’s Eastern-style breakfast of grilled fish, miso soup, salty pickled vegetables, and rice, and that was what she had brought up for me today. I sat at my desk to eat, looking over the material I’d so far translated in the book I was working on. I found a few minor alterations I wanted to make and made them, then as soon as I finished eating, I headed down for a hot bath.

Afterwards, I packed up my book in my rucksack, told Sano and Uno to stay there where they would be warm and dry, and headed out. Pausing at the lobby door, I noticed that there were no umbrellas left to borrow in the large urn next to the coat rack. So I shouldered my rucksack and made a run for it, taking the shorter back route through the castle gardens to Avani’s back door.

She let me in quickly, exclaiming at how thoroughly drenched I was. She pulled me over to her wardrobe, and rummaging around for a moment, she pulled out a robe and boxers I’d left behind one morning. She insisted that I change out of my wet things right away while she hurried off to start coffee brewing. Then while I sat before the fire and sipped my cup of coffee, she took my wet clothes to Clorica for her to set them out to dry near the great hearth in the castle’s kitchen.

“Ugh,” I said as she returned and sat down next to me, pouring herself a cup of coffee and topping mine off. “Now I smell like wet dog.”

She leaned in and sniffed delicately at me, saying, “Not all that much. You just smell like… Leo!”

“ _Leo_?” I asked.

“Yep, I think I’ll call you Leo from now on. It fits you perfectly!” she said with a big grin.

“Don’t be pert, little miss,” I said, setting my cup down.

“Leeeooo!” she sang out, leaning in closer to me.

“Damn. That… that’s cuter than I could have imagined, at least when _you_ say it. Well, two can play at that game. Which shall _I_ call _you_? My Lady? Or perhaps Princess Avani? Or would you prefer I just call you Li’l Avani?” I replied with a slightly malicious grin.

To my surprise, she seriously contemplated the choices I’d given her. “Call me My Lady,” she decided.

“So _that’s_ what tickles your fancy, is it, My Lady?”

She blushed a little, then leaned her head on my shoulder and said, “It sounds so nice when you say that, Leo.” I felt my own cheeks redden slightly, and I put my arm around her shoulders and drew her closer as we sat gazing into the fire and listening to the rain pounding on the roof and the distant rolls of thunder.


	22. Chapter 22

We sat for a some time snuggled up on the sofa before the fire, Avani reading a volume of history while I worked on the volume I’d been translating for Arthur. Clorica came in at one point late in the morning to whisk around tidying and dusting, then she let me know that it would be a while longer but that she’d bring me my clothes as soon as they were dry. I thanked her, and she turned to Avani to ask if she would like lunch to be brought to her today. Avani asked for her to please order lunch for both of us from Porcoline’s —a salted rainbow trout set meal for me and a large bowl of stew for her. She returned a while later with the requested meals, and we sat in front of the fire and enjoyed our meal.

As we ate, Avani asked, “So tell me, besides ‘exciting’ foods like that poisonous fish you’re eating, what else do you most enjoy?”

I thought about it as I nibbled at my fish, then replied, “I like things that amuse me and keep me from getting bored. And I enjoy reading, though perhaps not as much as Kiel does. I love to travel, as well—seeing new places and people and trying new foods.”

“I wonder if I traveled, before I lost my memory?” Avani mused as she absentmindedly tore a piece off her roll and nibbled at it.

“Well, you must have done _some_ traveling, or you wouldn’t be here. Right?” I replied.

“True…” she trailed off, still lost in thought.

After a moment, I said, “Now it’s _my_ turn to ask some questions. I know you like chocolate and shrimp and smoothies, you love your pets, you apparently have a fondness for men with tails, and you love adventure. What else do _you_ like most?”

Avani began to rattle off a list of things she liked: “I love this town and the people here, I love mountains and sunsets and sunrises. I love to fish and swim and to make things and grow things. I enjoy cooking, especially for others, and I love to soak in hot baths. I love flowers and music and poetry and reading books in front of a roaring fire on a chilly day, like today.”

I just looked at her for a minute, trying to process all that. Then I looked sternly at her, saying, “That’s too much—I said what do you like _most_? So I want you to tell me what is your single absolute favorite thing? If I were looking to give you a gift, for example, what would be your first choice?”

She thought for a minute, then said, “I’m tempted to say food or maybe flowers…”

“Nice, honest, straightforward answers, both of them—just what I’d expect from you,” I said with a smile as she paused.

“…but,” she continued with a mischievous look in her eyes, “I’d have to say that my _favorite_ thing is you, Leo.”

“Ah-ha,” I replied, with a wicked grin, “then if I give _myself_ to you, would you accept me?”

She set her empty bowl down and looked me straight in the eyes as she said, “With pleasure.”

I nearly choked, feeling my cheeks turn hot at her frank reply—it wasn’t at all what I’d expected. “O-okay….” I said, stammering slightly in my confusion.

She smiled at me, her eyes dancing with amusement at my momentary discomposure, and picked up her book, saying as she flipped through to find her place again, “Don’t worry. I know you were just teasing, like always. You wouldn’t make a suggestion like that seriously.”

“So does that mean that your _real_ answer would be no?” I asked her, curiously.

“Not at all,” she replied as she found her place and began to read again. “I meant what I said. I’m just saying, I know you didn’t _really_ mean it. You just tease me to get a rise out of me. I’m wise to your ways, mister.”

My ear twitched in irritation as I looked down at the petite figure curled up next to me, reading so calmly. So she thought she had me figured out, did she? Little did she know just how much I meant what I said—what lay hidden behind my jokes and teasing. I’d been restricting myself to nothing more than embraces or little kisses on her cheek or forehead, reluctant to take a step from which there could be no turning back. But perhaps, after all….

I set my plate down, then gently pulled the book from her hands and placed it on the table, too. I turned her towards me and gently caressed her cheek and her hair. Usually she wore it tied back, but today she had left it loose and it cascaded over her shoulders in gentle waves. It was so fine and silky—a pleasure to touch. I leaned in and gave her a soft kiss, then I pulled her to me and kissed her more firmly. I felt her stiffen momentarily in surprise, then she relaxed and her lips parted willingly at my insistence. I explored every corner of her mouth, caressing her tongue with mine.

As I felt the heat rising within me, I pulled her even closer, and she placed her arms around my neck as she pressed herself firmly against me. My sense of taste had been heightened, as indeed had all my senses, since becoming a Guardian, so I pulled back and began to nibble and lick down her neck, savoring the saltiness of her warm, soft skin. I gently scooped her up in my arms and carried her over to her bed, leaving her for a moment while I locked the doors and drew the curtains.

Discarding my robe as I returned, I sat on the edge of the bed and began to slowly unbutton her blouse. As I did so, I leaned down and again began to kiss and nibble and nip at her neck, working my way down her slender throat to her jugular notch. I paused there, tickling her sensitive skin with the tip of my tongue and enjoying the small moans that my kisses elicited before continuing downwards with tiny little teasing caresses of my tongue.

Soon I had her blouse completely unbuttoned and opened, revealing her firm, ample breasts cradled in a lacy bra. I nuzzled her breasts with my cheek as I slid my hands underneath her, then returned to her mouth to kiss her passionately as I unfastened her bra. I slid her blouse off her shoulders, then her bra straps. Removing her bra entirely, I dropped it onto the table next to the bed.

Still kissing her, I stretched out so that I lay alongside her, propped up on one arm while my free hand wandered over her smooth skin, exploring the curves of her ribs and belly before gently caressing her breasts. A small gasp escaped her lips, and I gently remonstrated with her for breaking our kiss by nipping softly at her lip, sucking on her upper lip slightly before I resumed kissing her. I continued to caress her breast, then rubbed the hard tip of her nipple between my fingertips. She moaned and wriggled a little under my touch, her back arching as she eagerly pressed up into my hand.

She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me tightly to her, but I pulled back and once again left a trail of kisses and nibbles down her neck and breast, stopping when I reached the tip of her nipple. I flicked the tip of my tongue across it, then gave it a gentle nip. She gasped, and I took her nipple into my mouth, sucking and gently nipping it. She moaned softly and dug her nails into my back, pulling me firmly to her. With my free hand, I toyed with her other nipple, alternating between caressing it, flicking my finger over the tip, and lightly rolling it between my fingertips.

After a few minutes, I moved my hand slowly down her side, my fingers lightly brushing over her skin. She wore a wrap skirt that tied at the waist, so when my fingers reached the top of her skirt, I easily untied the simple knot. I flipped both sides of her skirt aside, leaving her lying on the fabric in only her panties. I ran my hand over her hip and down her thigh, then began to kiss and lick her skin as I moved down her sides and belly. I gently stroked her between her legs, delighted to feel her underwear already wet from her eagerness.

I knelt on the bed next to her and slowly slipped them off, leaning down to kiss her belly as I did so, then dropped the bit of silky fabric to the floor, running my fingertips lightly over the soft, pale green hair of her pubic mound. She moaned as she opened her legs a little wider and pushed up against my hand. I ran my fingers down her slit, exploring the warm wetness before moving down to kiss her. My tongue tasted the piquancy of her wetness, finding the small, hard nub at the top of her slit and flicking over it as she gasped and whimpered with the intensity of her pleasure.

I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold back now, so I stood up, first slipping her clothing out from beneath her and then sliding my boxers off. She watched me do so, her eyes heavy-lidded and her lips slightly parted. She reached out her hand to the tip of my erection, tracing a delicate fingertip around it and through the drops of fluid pooling there before sliding her hand down the shaft. I closed my eyes and shivered with pleasure at the sensation; it had been a _very_ long time since I’d last felt a woman’s touch.

Not wanting to lose control, I gently removed her hand, then I climbed on top of her and began kissing her again. She returned my kiss hungrily, then she kissed and gently bit my neck. I felt a surge of heat as her caresses intensified, and again I pulled back. She entwined her legs with mine, attempting to hold me down against her, but I reached down and moved them aside as I leaned in and kissed and nipped at her neck, a little harder than before.

She squirmed beneath me, her breathing ragged as I held myself up over her, looking down at her face. Her eyes were unfocused, her lips parted as she breathed heavily, her hands gripping my wrists tightly. I smiled and moved in a little closer, so that the tip of my erection just brushed against the wetness of her fine hair. She cried out and arched her back up to meet me, but I pulled back just enough so that I only teased her with my tip.

Looking into her eyes, I asked, “Tell me again, My Lady, if I give myself to you, will you accept me?”

“Yes, Leo, _please_ ,” she gasped in reply, digging her nails into my lower back in an attempt to draw me into her.

I resisted, shaking my head at her. “No, no. I want you to tell me _exactly_ what you told me before. So once more: if I give myself to you, My Lady, will you accept me?”

She whimpered a little, then replied huskily, “With pleasure.”

I smiled down at her and said, “Then here I am.” With a firm thrust, I pushed into her warm, eager wetness. She cried out, her hips lifting to meet mine as she clutched my back. I drew myself out slowly, then thrust in firmly again, over and over, very slowly at first, then increasing the pace as her breathing became increasingly ragged and gasping. As I plunged in and out ever more rapidly, I kissed her, then bit and sucked at the spot just above where her shoulder met her neck. She cried out, digging her nails into my back, gasping my name over and over as she reached her climax. That was as much as I could take, and with a few rapid, deep thrusts, I reached my own release, hoarsely crying out her name.

Spent and exhausted, I slipped down on top of her, lying on her and still in her, her legs and arms wrapped lightly around me as we both lay panting and breathless. I nuzzled her neck, and she rubbed her cheek against me. We fell asleep lying like that, each of us reluctant to part from the other.

* * *

 

After a while, we were awakened by a knock on her door. By then, the storm was finally breaking up and the afternoon sun was shining low and golden through the south windows. I lifted myself up and looked down at her, feeling a warm tenderness spreading through my chest as I gazed into her sea-green eyes. I kissed her, then rolled over and off of her, pulling her bed sheet partway up over me as she sighed and rose. She grabbed my robe and pulled it around her before going to answer the door. It was Clorica, returning my dry clothes to me. Avani thanked her as she took the stack of folded clothing, ignoring the girl’s curious glances at her disheveled appearance, and closed and locked the door again.

She set my clothing on a chair, slipped my robe off and lay it across the back of the sofa, and returned to bed. Sliding under the sheet next to me, she put her arms around my neck and pulled me to her for another kiss. “I love you,” she whispered as she rubbed her cheek against me.

“I know,” I replied with a broad smile. “I’m pretty fond of you myself.”

She grinned up at me, then threw the sheet off of us and bounced up. “I don’t know about you,” she said, “but I’m famished! Want to go to Porcoline’s? I’d cook you dinner, but I desperately need to do some shopping and go fishing—my refrigerator is pretty bare.”

“Sounds fine,” I replied, stretching languidly, “but what if Dylas is working? You said you didn’t want to see him.”

“Well…” she said slowly, “that’s _true_ … but it’s not like he can do or say much to me while he’s working. Even if Porcoline let it slide, I’m almost positive Meg wouldn’t. So if he’s waiting tables, I’ll just ignore him when I can and be polite when I can’t. After all, it’s pretty hard to _completely_ avoid him in a small town like this.”

“Well, if you’re sure you’ll be okay…. I _am_ pretty hungry. But,” I said, lying back down and pulling her to me with a grin, “let’s first enjoy an appetizer here.”


	23. Chapter 23

The sun was just setting as we dressed to go have dinner, so instead of taking the shortcut through her gardens, we went out her front door and strolled along the west side of town, admiring the brilliant colors lighting up the clouds along the horizon. “It looks like it’ll be a nice day tomorrow,” I commented as we stood at the lookout point near the inn, watching as the sun finally vanished below the horizon. “Want to go fishing? You said you needed to, and we still haven’t managed to go.”

“What, didn’t you enjoy today’s alternative activities?” she said teasingly, looking up at me with laughing eyes.

I leaned down and murmured in a low voice, “You _know_ I enjoyed every moment of it.”

She blushed bright red, then grabbed my hand and held it as we walked towards the restaurant. When we arrived, she hesitated a moment at the door. I gave her hand a squeeze, saying, “You know, we don’t _have_ to eat here if you’re not up to it. I can just go in and order something to go for us, if you would rather.”

She squeezed my hand back, and smiled gratefully at me. “No, but thank you for offering, Leo. I told him I wasn’t going to grovel, and I meant it. I just need a moment to brace myself in case he’s there.”

“Think ‘ice princess’,” I said with a grin. She laughed, and we went on in.

Sure enough, when we stepped inside, Dylas was there at the counter, his back to the door. I felt Avani stiffen momentarily, and I gave her hand another squeeze. Dylas turned around and blanched when he saw us standing there, his words of greeting dying on his lips. He seemed unable to speak, so I just smiled and asked for a quiet table for two. He scowled at me, then nodded and led us to a small table far from the counter.

He handed us menus and said, rather brusquely, “Drinks?”

“Tea for both of us, please,” I responded politely.

He frowned and turned to look at Avani, but she was looking over the menu and ignoring him. He turned and stomped off to get us our tea, and I saw her shoulders relax. “Well,” I said, “it wasn’t as bad as it could have been, wouldn’t you agree? We certainly seemed to catch him by surprise when we walked in.”

Avani set her menu down and looked at me with a grave expression. “Leo, not only do I really not want to talk _to_ him while we’re here, I also really don’t want to talk _about_ him. Please, let’s talk about something else, okay?”

“As you wish, My Lady,” I said with a smile.

Just then Dylas returned with our tea. “You ready to order?” he said gruffly, staring fixedly at Avani.

She continued to ignore him, instead looking at me with a twinkle in her eyes and saying, “Will you order for me please, Leo?”

I grinned back at her, saying, “Oh-ho, presenting me with a challenge, My Lady? Well, let me see… I recall you once telling me that with a few exceptions, your food preferences were based more on the nutrients you derive from what you eat rather than the actual taste of the food. So based on what I _think_ your nutritional needs are right now, as well as planning ahead for the remainder of the evening….”

I paused for a moment, rubbing my chin as I considered. “I’m going to say that you will likely need a meal comprised of about two-thirds carbohydrates, for energy—you’ll need plenty of _that_ ; one-third protein, for strength; and a little fat, just to keep those lovely curves of yours curvy. So….”

I thought for a moment about what menu options would best fit those needs, not failing to notice Dylas’s scowl deepening. “Let’s start you with snapper sashimi, followed by a vegetarian curry on rice with a side salad, and a large glass of fruit juice. And for me, rainbow trout sashimi, followed by grilled lamp squid, fried veggies, and fried rice, and just tea to drink. Thanks, Dylas,” I said, handing the menus back to him. He grunted and stalked off, muttering under his breath.

I leaned forward and said in a stage whisper, “The service is perhaps a little lacking, but I hear the food is quite good.”

She choked slightly on her sip of tea and giggled. I leaned back, relieved to see her smiling again. “So about tomorrow… do you have any place in particular you’d like to go fishing? No? Then how about we pack our swimsuits and a lunch and head over to Keeno Lake? It’s always summer there, so it should be a good deal warmer there than it will be here. And it’s a good place to fish—I often head there when I’m fishing for lamp squid or rainbow trout. How does that sound?”

“Perfect!” she exclaimed happily. Just then Dylas arrived with our sashimi, plunking the plates down unceremoniously before stalking off again. I looked at her and shrugged, then we set about enjoying our meal.

Afterwards, I ordered a slice of chocolate cake to go for Avani and paid the bill, making sure to leave a generous tip for Dylas—knowing that, in his present mood, doing so would irritate him more than leaving no tip at all. I didn’t really care how he behaved towards me, but it pissed me off to see him being so bitchy and childish to Avani, who certainly didn’t deserve such treatment.

* * *

 

As we walked down the street, I turned to head down the steps to the back of her gardens, and she stopped and grabbed my hand. “Where are we going?” she asked.

“I’m walking you home,” I said, surprised that she’d ask such an obvious question.

“Don’t you want to stop by your room for anything?” she asked, looking confused.

“Such as…?” I replied, uncertainly.

“Oh….” she said, blushing and looking away. “I… I assumed you were staying the night. But I guess not?”

Looking down at this amazing woman standing flushed with disappointed hope before me, I felt an overwhelming tenderness wash over me as well as passion rising up from deep within me. I pulled her to me, saying in a low voice, “Would you like me to stay?”

She turned a little pinker and nodded her head, burying her cheek against my chest. “Then by all means, let’s stop at the inn first. Would you care for a bath, too, while we’re there?”

“Mmm, that sounds wonderful!” she murmured, looking breathtakingly sensual as she gazed up at me with half-lidded eyes. My heart felt as though it would burst, and I thought to myself that I had no right—no right at _all_ —to feel such happiness. But as I returned her gaze with a smile, I knew that, right or wrong, I couldn’t help being happy as long as I remained with her.

When we walked in, I told her to go on ahead and enjoy a long soak—I needed to get some things together and check on my foxes before my bath, so she’d have plenty of time. She squeezed my hand and smiled with an almost child-like delight before bounding off to the ladies’ baths.

I climbed the stairs to my room and dropped my rucksack on my bed, waking the foxes from their nap. I told them they could stay or follow as they pleased, as long as they kept out of the way. They looked at me sleepily and yawned before curling back up and going back to sleep, tails tucked around their noses. I gathered up my swim shorts and a towel, a change of clothes, and my toiletries, placing them neatly in my bag. I gathered up the rest of the materials for my translation work that I’d left behind this morning, setting them on top of my clothing. Then I grabbed my fishing pole, shouldered my pack, and headed down to the baths.

I met Avani in the lobby after we finished bathing and offered her a refreshing fruit juice. A jeweler had recently opened a small shop in the lobby, so while we sipped our drinks, Avani looked over his wares.

I smiled to myself as I thought perhaps she was exhibiting a very feminine love of jewelry, so I was both surprised and amused when she came back, musing, “He had some decent emeralds and sapphires for sale, though the price was a little high. My stocks of gems are running low since I keep using them to upgrade weaponry and armor. I think I’d still prefer to mine my own gemstones than pay for them, though it’s nice to know that they’re available if I need some in a hurry.”

I burst out laughing, and she stared at me, puzzled by my reaction. “What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Nothing. You’re just adorable, that’s all,” I replied, grabbing her hand. “Come on, let’s get going. Your cake must be calling to you by now.”

She grinned gleefully as she looked at the small white box in her hand, then she looked up at me and asked, “Would you like to share the cake? You don’t seem to hate sweets like Dyl… like some others I know, but you didn’t get yourself anything either.”

I pulled her to me and leaned in closer to her, saying in a low voice, “I have an entirely different sort of dessert in mind, one that I hope we can enjoy together.” She turned bright pink, gave my hand a hard squeeze, and swiftly pulled me out the door.

We headed up the street towards the shortcut to her back door, and as we reached the steps leading down to her gardens, Avani stopped short and stiffened. I looked east, following her gaze, and saw Dylas coming along the street towards us. He was looking down as he walked and hadn’t seen us yet, but before I could pull her down the steps and out of his line of sight, he looked up and stopped. He just stared for a minute, looking from Avani to me and back again. He took a step forward, but Avani turned and ran down the steps without a word, pulling me along with her. I gave him a cool nod as I followed, noting that his expression appeared to be a muddle of anger, anxiety, jealousy, and grief.

I felt certain that with the way things were progressing, he’d be knocking on Avani’s door first thing on the fourth morning, begging for her to take him back, and I wondered how _she’d_ feel by then. I found that my own feelings were mixed. I was surprised to find that with our new intimacy, I now felt strangely possessive of her, desiring her to look at me and only me. But I also enjoyed the camaraderie that the three of us enjoyed. We made a good fighting team, I thought, and I’d hate to lose that, especially now that the Sechs Empire was threatening the kingdom. I’d just have to wait and see what happened—there was really nothing else I could do.


	24. Chapter 24

I awoke the next morning to sunlight streaming through the windows. I was lying on my back, and Avani was cuddled up against me, her head on my chest and one of her legs wrapped around mine. We had fallen asleep after making love again last night, and so we still lay naked, partly tangled in her sheets and blankets. We had taken the precaution of locking the doors and canceling Vishnal’s usual wake-up call, so I wasn’t concerned about intrusions. But the room had grown chilly during the autumn night, so I drew the covers up over us.

She stirred slightly but didn’t awaken, so I just lay there with her in my arms, watching her as she slept. She looked so sweet in her sleep, as if in her dreams she returned to the innocence of childhood. I wondered if hers had been a happy one, what her family had been like and where they had been all this time she’d been missing. I wondered if there’d been anyone special to her in her past, and felt certain there must have been—how could it be otherwise? I found myself feeling oddly jealous regarding this hypothetical potential rival, and I smiled inwardly, amused by my own reactions.

Just then she stirred again, this time waking. She snuggled up closer to me, murmuring, “Good morning, Leo.”

"Good morning, My Lady," I replied, stroking her hair. She sat up and stretched, arching her back. I felt keenly aroused just watching her curvy, limber body flexing in the soft, early morning light. She noticed, and with a smile, reached down to gently caress my rapidly hardening member, wrapping delicate fingers around the base. I closed my eyes with pleasure as she slowly but firmly stroked my shaft, then she bent down to me and kissed me ardently without slowing or stopping her caresses. The pleasure quickly intensified as she began to move more rapidly, but before I reached the peak, she suddenly stopped.

My eyes flew open in surprise, and at that moment she climbed over me in order to straddle me. She lowered herself onto me, slowly enveloping me in her warm, slippery embrace as she slid up and down, her breasts bouncing rhythmically. She moved slowly at first, her pace gradually increasing. As I felt myself nearing my climax, I grabbed her hips and helped her to slide up and down, faster and faster. She arched her back and cried out my name as she bucked on top of me. I felt her walls squeeze me in rhythmic convulsions as she climaxed, sending me over the edge. I gasped her name as I exploded into her, shuddering from the intensity of my release. Breathing heavily, she slid along my length a few more times, slowing to a more languorous pace before finally stopping all together and collapsing forward onto my chest. I put my arms around her as we lay entwined there, breathless and slick with sweat.

A few minutes later, she eased herself off of me—slowly, as if reluctant to do so—then rolled over next to me. She snuggled up close, cradled in my arms. I kissed the top of her head, and said, “Now _that’s_ the way to start the day off right.”

Although I couldn’t see her face, I could feel her mouth widening into a grin against my chest. “Avani’s wake up service, ready for action, we make housecalls!” she said teasingly.

“Well, as long as you have a very short client list, maybe,” I chuckled.

“ _Very_ short.”

She sat up and climbed over me, stopping to give me a kiss halfway across. She quickly threw on some work clothes, then looking over her shoulder as she headed towards her back door, she said, “I have to get going on my chores. You can wait here if you like, or come with me if you’d rather. I’ll make breakfast when I’m done, but if you don’t want to wait, help yourself—not that there’s much to choose from!” And with that she was gone. I thought for a moment, then decided that I was interested in seeing what she did on this royal farm of hers. I quickly pulled on my pants and sandals and hurried out the door after her as I fastened my belt.

Energetic as usual, she was rapidly picking strawberries when I found her. She dropped the small crate of berries off in a large bin near her barn and moved on to the next crop—carrots. As she pulled each long, orange root and brushed off the loose dirt, she likewise placed them into a crate. When she was done, she stood looking down at them for a moment, frowning. “I’d planted these for Dylas, but….” she said curtly. She shrugged in vexation and said, “Screw it,” as she dropped them in the bin.

She went on to harvest the ripe fruit from her small orchard, then worked her way through her monster barn, gathering the produce from her beasts: milk from her buffamoos, eggs from her cluckadoodles, fur from her woolies, and even a small pouch of fairy dust from her fairy. She hurried out and dropped the last items into her bin just as Vishnal arrived to pick up the day’s shipment and deliver it to the waiting airship. Vishnal greeted her in his usual cheery manner, though he gave me a quick, startled look before greeting me. Avani chatted with him for a moment as he collected the shipment, then she hurried back into her barn.

Her barn was a respectable size, divided into three sections with enough unfinished space for future expansions. Baldur and three buffamoos occupied one section, and that was where she headed first. She spent a little time with each monster, petting and brushing them as she spoke softly and soothingly. It was kind of awe-inspiring to see the intensity of the devotion her beasts felt for her, crowding around her, pushing each other out of the way to try to get a little closer to her. She laughed as they vied for her attention, making sure to divide her time evenly and fairly despite their efforts. She tended her woolies next, followed by her fairy and cluckadoodles. Finally, she watered her crops and orchard, and her morning tasks were done. All that work had taken about three hours from start to finish. Apparently she moved as quickly on her farm as she did in combat.

We ate a quick breakfast, then headed over to Sincerity General Store so that Avani could restock her refrigerator. After putting her purchases away in her kitchen, we went to Porcoline’s, arriving just as it opened. Avani ordered two boxed lunches, and we chatted with Porcoline about our planned outing as he prepared them. When we turned around to leave, Dylas was standing behind us, scowling. “Nice to see you’re keeping busy,” he grumbled. Avani ignored him, passing right by as if no one was there. I grabbed our lunches and followed, saying nothing to him in passing, only raising an eyebrow as I stared at him for a moment. He clenched his fists and turned away, and I left.

* * *

 

Avani packed her swim suit, towel and fishing gear in her pack and grabbed her pole and a pair of large buckets to put the fish in. I grabbed my rucksack and pole and the lunches, and we headed to the airship dock. We asked the pilot to drop us off at the lake, where we found to our delight that we were completely alone, not a creature in sight. It was just us and the fish and a few songbirds in the nearby trees.

We set our packs down, and prepared to fish. Avani filled the buckets with water and set them in a shady spot nearby, and we cast our lines out into the lake. I’d never actually fished with her before, though I knew she often at least placed in fishing competitions. Sometimes she won, beating even Dylas, who was a fanatic. She skillfully flicked her line far out into the water, waiting patiently until she got a nibble a few minutes later. She quickly pulled it in, discovering she had hooked a medium-sized mackerel—the first catch of the day.

We fished for an hour or so, catching quite a few between us, including a few rainbow trout and a couple of lamp squid. Then we took a break for lunch, sitting on the soft grass in the sun as we ate. Afterwards I stretched out on the warm grass, my head on Avani’s lap, closing my eyes against the bright sun. She stroked my hair between my ears as she sat quietly, apparently lost in thought.

I had just begun to doze off when I felt a fly tickle my ear. I flicked my ear in annoyance, but it was back a moment later. The third time, I opened my eyes and looked around for the irritating insect, and saw Avani stifling a giggle, a blade of grass in her hand. “So it was _you_ , was it?” I said, trying to look annoyed but probably failing.

I sat up and grabbed her, deftly swinging her around and to the ground as she shrieked with laughter. I sat on her belly and held her hands above her head in one of mine as I grinned maliciously. “Then prepare for retribution!” I exclaimed, and I started to tickle her. She giggled and writhed as I tickled her sides, under her arms, and her neck. She struggled, not _quite_ helpless with laughter, and eventually manage to break free. Then she tackled me, holding me down as she tickled the sensitive fur of my ears. We continued in that vein for some time, removing each others’ clothing piece by piece to better access more ticklish spots, until eventually we were rolling around naked on the grass, making love in the hot midday sun.

* * *

 

We lay on the ground for a while afterwards, stretched out next to each other, her small hand clasped in mine as we watched small, fluffy clouds float past overhead. After a few minutes, Avani scrambled to her feet and began to collect our scattered clothing. She was incredibly beautiful to me, and I lay there watching her, admiring her curves, her strong, straight limbs, her expressive eyes, and her radiant smile.

“If you’re done ogling,” she said with a grin a minute later as she dropped the stack of clothing on the ground, “would you like to go for a swim?”

“Hmmm… not _quite_ done,” I said, grinning back at her as my gaze traveled slowly down her trim figure and back up again. “Okay, I’m good for a _few_ minutes. With? Or without?”

“Without!” she exclaimed, then turned and raced to the lake, diving into the cold water. She resurfaced with a splash and turned, laughing with delight, to wait for me to join her.

After swimming and splashing for a while, we lay on the grass again, drying in the warm sun. Ever restless, Avani popped back up after a few minutes. “I’m feeling stiff—I haven’t been able to do my daily exercise routine since I was injured in that blast.”

“So… you’re going to just do it here in the meadow, naked?” I asked, my interest piqued at the idea.

“Why not? Though I’ll have to skip handstands, of course.”

“You will? Why’s that?” I asked, baffled.

“Because gravity is _not_ my friend,” she said, laughing, and darted away to find a level patch of meadow to work on. I raised myself up on my elbows, watching with increasing interest as she went through a modified routine—stretches and bends and other moves that showed off her lithe figure tantalizingly.

She came over to me when she had finished, and looking down at me with a broad grin, said, “I take it you enjoyed the show?”

“ _Very_ much,” I replied, reaching up and grabbing her hand to pull her down next to me.

"You're insatiable!" she giggled as I leaned over her to kiss her neck.

"And _you're_ addictive," I murmured into her throat.


	25. Chapter 25

“Seriously, though, Leo,” Avani said breathlessly as we lay on the grass in the warm sun some time later, “Where _do_ you get all that energy? It seems like we’ll have barely caught our breath before you’re ready to go again!”

“Well, I _do_ have several centuries of catching up to do,” I replied, kissing her hair.

“That reminds me,” she said, twisting around so that she could rest her head on my stomach and still look into my face. “How old _are_ you, anyway?”

“Several centuries; I thought we’d just established that,” I said, teasingly.

She poked me in my cheek, saying, “You know what I mean! I mean, how old were you when you were sealed?”

“Does it matter?” I asked her, amused by her curiosity.

“No… of course it doesn’t _matter_ ,” she replied slowly. “I’m just curious, that’s all. You _seem_ older than the other young single guys in town, but at the same time, you’re more playful than them, too. I just can’t guess.”

I just closed my eyes and smiled, still not answering her question. After a minute, she wriggled restlessly against me, saying, “Leo? Are you going to tell me?”

I rolled away from under her and onto my stomach to let my tail finish drying. Instead of answering her, I simply commented, “The hot sun feels good, doesn’t it?”

“Leeooo!” she exclaimed, mildly vexed.

“Maybe if you tell me how old _you_ are, I’ll tell you how old _I_ am,” I murmured.

“That’s not fair!” she pouted. “You _know_ I have no idea what my age is. Even my birthday is just a date Venti picked at random. Jones thought I was probably in my very early twenties when I arrived, and that’s all I know.”

She climbed onto my back and began to tickle my ears and neck. “H-hey! S-stop that!” I gasped, laughing as I tried to reach up behind me to grab her arms.

“Not until you ‘fess up!” she exclaimed, tickling even harder. I flipped over onto my back beneath her, grabbing her waist to keep her away from my ears. That called to mind being in a similar position this morning as we made love in the early morning light, and I found myself becoming aroused again.

Avani eyes widened as she felt me poking against her, and she exclaimed, “Leo! Again? Already?!”

“Like I said, My Lady—you’re addictive,” I replied as I pulled her down to me and kissed her.

* * *

 

As I lay sprawled across her afterwards, our bodies still entwined and damp with sweat, I nuzzled and kissed her neck. “Twenty-eight,” I whispered into her ear, then kissed her again.

She put her arms around my neck and kissed me back, then said, “Why didn’t you want to tell me?”

“To tease you of course,” I replied.

“Leo!”

“…or maybe not,” I continued with a grin as I slid off and stretched out beside her. “Maybe because I’m older than most of the single guys in town. Maybe I was afraid you’d think I was too old for you.”

“Oh, Leo, I don’t _care_ how old you are. Well, I mean, too young wouldn’t be good, but no way could _you_ be too old.”

“Or maybe I’m teasing you even now, and I have been teasing you all along. The world may never know!”

“Ugh! Leo!” she said, giving me a push. “Anyway, thanks. And twenty-eight is hardly ancient—you aren’t _that_ much older than most of the others. Kiel’s seventeen….”

“What? Really? Seventeen, huh? I thought he was fifteen at _most_. Interesting,” I interrupted in surprise.

“Yep, he’ll be eighteen on his next birthday, which is early Winter,” she continued. “Doug just turned nineteen, Vishnal will be twenty in Winter, and Arthur and Dylas are both twenty-three now. Dylas was sealed practically as soon as he turned twenty-one, which I guess was the age of majority at that time. Or at least that’s what Venti told me.”

“She would likely know,” I agreed.

* * *

 

The shadows were lengthening and we were getting hungry, so we dressed and gathered up our things and our buckets of fish. Avani cast Escape and we returned to her room, where one of the butlers had built up a nice, roaring fire to welcome us home. I told her that she could have all the fish I’d caught if, in return, she’d prepare all the lamp squid and rainbow trout for me. She laughingly agreed and placed our catch in her refrigerator.

After dinner, we spent the evening quietly, sitting together in front of the fire. I read, and Avani brought out a small harp, saying she needed to practice. She’d recently begun taking lessons from Meg, and from the sound of it, she was a quick learner—her performance was quite pleasant, if unpolished. After she set it aside, she picked up her history book and read for a while before we prepared for bed. She gently brushed my tail out for me, which I found far more relaxing this time. Once in bed, I kissed her good night before she blew out the lamp, leaving the room bathed in the flickering amber glow of the waning fire.

I was just drifting off to sleep a few minutes later when I heard her whispering my name. “Hmmm?” I responded drowsily.

“I’m sorry if I’m disturbing you, but… could you… could you just hold me, please?” she said, sounding slightly anxious.

“Anytime you wish, My Lady, and for as long as you wish,” I replied, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her close to me. She rested her head against my chest with a sigh, and I asked, “Is anything wrong, My Lady?”

She hesitated for a moment, then said, “I… I just suddenly felt incredibly sad and alone. I guess it was talking about everyone’s ages and how even my birthday isn’t _really_ my birthday. It just hit me all over again, about not knowing my past, I mean. I think that’s why I like to read history books so much—because I have no history of my own, at least, not from before I came here. I’ve been trying hard not to worry about it… but sometimes it just hits me again.”

I gave her a squeeze and said, “I understand. In a way, we have similar problems. We’ve both lost our past—you to amnesia, and me to the passage of centuries. And I’m not even sure which is worse… knowing what you’ve lost, or having no idea at all. But neither one is much fun, is it? Still, keep your chin up, My Lady. Even if most of the townsfolk can’t understand how you feel, I think I do, and I suspect the other Guardians would, too. So just remember—you’re _not_ alone.”

She snuggled a little closer to me, whispering, “Thank you, Leo,” and soon we were both asleep.

* * *

 

The following morning, after Avani returned from her chores, I asked her if I could borrow her study for the day, or if she’d rather, I could return to my room at the inn and use my own desk. “I really must spend the day working on this translation, My Lady, so I’m afraid I won’t be able to take you anywhere fun today.”

“I don’t mind,” she replied, “help yourself. And that’s fine about today. To be honest, I need to spend some time thinking today, anyway. I need to figure out how I feel about Dylas now, and decide what I’m going to tell him _if_ he shows up tomorrow. So I kind of wanted to get away from town, maybe do a little monster hunting, and just mull things over.”

I frowned, saying, “That’s fine, but it’s not good to go out alone when you’re distracted. You should take someone with you—either someone you’re willing to discuss it with or someone who isn’t talkative. Or take Baldur, if you’d rather not have other people around.”

She nodded and said, “I thought I’d ask a couple of the girls to go with me, and then I can talk things over with them, too. I don’t want to ask Forte—she’s needed here in town right now. But I thought I’d ask Amber and Dolce. Amber won’t be much help, but Dolce’s really intuitive, maybe thanks to Pico’s influence. And even if she isn’t much of a fighter, Amber always cheers me up—she’s just so happy all the time. Plus I think she feels badly that she wasn’t able to warn me about Dylas and Lumie in time, and I want her to know I’m not upset with her.”

I smiled fondly at her, and said, “In that case, My Lady, have a good day and return safely. Shall I order dinner from Porcoline’s when you return?”

“That would be marvelous. Thanks, Leo—and good luck with your translation.” She gave me a lingering kiss, then grabbed her gear and went in search of the two female Guardians.

* * *

 

I spent the day hard at work on my translation. It wasn’t difficult, but it was time-consuming. The story itself intrigued me. Titled A Recipe for Happiness, it was a charming tale of a loving couple’s life together. It was written in a form of the common language that even in my childhood had fallen into disuse, and only a few then could still read it easily—myself, for one, and Maria for another. Though it was undated, I assumed that it must predate me, since books written in my day had been written in the “new” style of the language—the style still currently in use.

I worked steadily, stopping only for lunch. Around noon, I walked the long way around to Porcoline’s restaurant in order to stretch my legs a little and get some fresh air. Dylas was there, busily waiting on customers during the busy lunch hour.

After he took my order, he asked somewhat acerbically, “What, no Avani today?”

“Nope,” I replied calmly, “I’m working and she’s gone off monster hunting, with Dolce and Amber, I believe.”

He snorted and walked away to seat some new customers. A short while later when he brought me my food, he said, “Hey, listen. Tomorrow’s the fourth day. Would you tell Avani that I’ll be there in the morning, if she’s still willing to talk to me by then?”

I paused for a moment, looking at the anxious expression on his face, then nodded. “Yeah, I’ll pass that along to her. And, hey, you might not believe me, but I wish you luck tomorrow. You were a real ass to her, but I’m sure you’ve worked that out for yourself by now. I hope at the very least we can all be friends again, but I really do hope the two of you can patch things up sooner or later—preferably sooner.”

His eyes widened in surprise, and he mumbled, “Thanks, Leon. So do I,” before hurrying off.

* * *

 

That afternoon, I continued with my work until I finally noticed that the room was growing dim and the candle was guttering. I extinguished the flame and set my work aside, then I went downstairs to build up the fire and wait for Avani to return. I was kneeling in front of the fireplace, carefully placing a few logs, when in a burst of light, Avani appeared in the room, along with Dolce and Amber—and of course Dolce’s ghostly companion, Pico. She dropped her equipment on the floor and ran over to me, giving me a tight squeeze and a kiss, exclaiming, “I’m home!”

“So I see,” I laughed, nodding to the others.

“Let me just fix the girls a snack—they’re tired, hungry, and thirsty after a day out with me.”

“I know the feeling,” I replied with a smirk. She blushed and gave one of my ears a little scratch before darting off to the kitchen, the girls close behind her. A short while later, they emerged, and bidding us good night, Dolce and Amber left, Pico chasing after Dolce as they closed the door.

After locking the door behind them, Avani came over to where I was sitting on the sofa. “How’d it go?” I asked, setting my book aside and pulling her down onto my lap. To my surprise, she began to kiss me hungrily, pulling and tugging at my clothes and shedding her own. I hadn’t yet seen her so aggressive, and although she caught me off guard, I was more than willing to accommodate her need. Her urgency resulted in a brief but very intense union, leaving us gasping and limp for some time afterwards.

When I could speak and move again, I stroked her hair and said with a smile, “Tough day at work, My Lady?”

She cringed and made a peculiar gurgling sound. Then she rolled off me, and leaning on one elbow, looked at me with a comical expression. “Oh, Leo. You have _no_ idea what it’s like to spend a day fighting monsters with Amber! I mean, I really do like her, but… oh, man!”

I laughed as she flopped over onto her back. “Do you know what her weapon of choice is?” she asked after a moment.

I thought, trying to imagine Amber using _any_ weapon. “Staff?” I ventured as my best guess.

“Nope. She fights using a watering-can. A freaking watering-can! Oh gods, Leo. She should never be allowed outside the city walls alone. Ever. A blind wooly with two broken legs could kick her butt. She spent more time chasing butterflies and picking flowers than fighting. I felt like a babysitter. I’m so glad Dolce was there—she is the absolute Anti-Amber, and that’s all that kept me sane, I’m sure.”

I laughed again, then teased her, “So then… turn-ons include babysitting child-like innocents? Frustrating party members?”

She smiled at me, reaching her hand out to trace over my facial markings with a fingertip. “No. Turn-ons include seeing you after missing you all day. When I arrived here and saw you there by the fire, I wanted nothing more than to tear your clothes off right then and there. It was all I could think of, the whole time I was feeding Dolce and Amber. I could hardly wait for them to leave.”

I grabbed her finger and kissed the sensitive tip softly, then said, “By the way, Dylas asked me to let you know he’d be over in the morning, if you’ll see him. Have you made up your mind what you want to do?”

She flung her other arm over her eyes and sighed. “More or less. I don’t know _exactly_ what I’ll say yet, but I think… I _think_ I’ve sorted out how I feel.”

“Well, I won’t pry, but I want you to know that I’m hoping that you two reconcile—if not now, then soon.”

She sat up and looked at me in surprise. “Really? Are you sure about that? If I take him back, you know that means you’ll go back to sharing me again.”

I sighed, saying, “Yes, I know that. And I know it won’t be easy—if I could, I’d keep you all to myself.”

She looked confused as she said, “Then… why…?”

“Because he can give you what I can’t. Because I know that he cares deeply for you. And I know that, hurt and angry as you are now, deep down you care about him, too—or you wouldn’t have bothered to even consider a second chance. And because I want us to be able to work as a team again—we’re needed now, and we can’t work together with things as they are.”

“And what about his fling with Lumie? Do you think I should just overlook that?” she asked, curious rather than angry.

“Not at all. What he did to both of you was wrong. And I realize the hardest part will be learning to trust him again—and that he needs to earn that trust, not have it handed to him. No, I fully agree that he was a complete jackass and that you have every right to be angry and hurt by his actions. But at the same time—and I know this sounds strange—I believe he acted the way he did only because he cares so much for you.”

She scowled thoughtfully, saying, “I don’t follow your reasoning. Why would caring about me make him cheat on me? Shouldn’t it be the opposite?”

“With most people, yes. But remember this _is_ Dylas—he never really learned how to deal with people, or how to love and be loved. From all accounts, Venti was his only friend, ever, in his old life—and as wonderful as she is, she isn’t human. You need to learn how to interact with humans from other humans, not from dragons. So when he misunderstood what had happened, I think he jumped to some wrong conclusion—that you didn’t really care for him after all, or perhaps that you prefer my company to his. Then he dealt with that hurt in the only way he knew how, even if it was a stupid way: by seeking out another woman’s company. He’s dense and an idiot and has no social skills… but he cares about you more than he’s ever cared about anyone in his entire life. And I think that scares the shit out of him.”

She sighed as she snuggled up against me, resting her head on my chest. “Maybe so…. Anyway, I decided that I _do_ still care about him. I’m not even really _that_ angry anymore—mostly I’m concerned about his way of dealing with problems. If I take him back and something upsets him again one day, I don’t want him doing this again. And it’s not even really about the sex—I really _wouldn’t_ mind if he had other lovers. It was the way he refused to hear me out, and the sneaking around, and the way he used Illuminata that I found despicable about the whole affair. I don’t want him to just shut me out and not listen when he’s upset, like he did this time. So while I still love him, I don’t know if I’ll be able to trust him again. I’m willing to take him back, but only as a friend… for now. Then we’ll see what happens, if he can regain my trust and if I can ever feel the same about him again.”

I put my arms around her and held her tightly, saying, “Well then, at least I’ll have you all to myself for a little while longer.”

She stroked my chest and abdomen, lightly tracing imaginary lines across my skin. “Speaking of longer….” she said with a grin after a moment, her hand sliding lower under the sheet.

“Hmmm… and I think we can go a little more slowly this time around,” I replied, smiling as I pulled her close and kissed her.


	26. Chapter 26

A tantalizingly delicious scent woke me from my dreams the following morning. Avani was already up, and I could hear her bustling about the kitchen. I rose and pulled on my robe, then went to see what she was up to. She was chopping ingredients for miso soup when I walked in, rice was steaming on a burner, and a couple pieces of fish rested on a wooden slab, salted in preparation for grilling. The kettle was just beginning to whistle on another burner, so I started a pot of tea brewing, then I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her, kissing her neck as she worked. “Mmm, my _second_ favorite way to start the day. It smells wonderful.”

She grinned, saying, “I’m glad you approve,” but didn’t stop her preparations. Soon we were sitting down to breakfast, which was every bit as delicious as it had smelled.

As we ate, Avani paused and said, “Will you do me a favor, Leo?”

I looked up at her, and smiled. “Certainly, if I’m able, but that rather depends on the favor.”

She toyed with a morsel of fish for a moment before saying, “I’d like you to be here when I talk with Dylas. Will you stay?”

I set down my fork as I watched her fidgeting nervously, and asked quietly, “Are you afraid of him? Of what he may say or do?”

She looked up in surprise. “No, I’m not afraid of Dylas. But… he and I are both so stubborn and hot-headed. I’d _like_ to have a calm, rational conversation with him, but I don’t know if we can manage that. You’re so cool and collected, I’d feel better having you there, keeping us in line.”

“So you want me to act as a referee?” I said, amused.

She laughed. “I guess that’s _one_ way to put it. But yeah, pretty much that. Will you? Please?”

“If My Lady wishes, I will stay,” I replied with a smile.

“Thanks, Leo. I appreciate it very much. I’d better get going now. I want to get my morning work out of the way quickly. Just leave your dishes, and I’ll wash up when I return. I’ll see you in a while,” she said gathering up her dishes and stacking them by the sink. She kissed me between my ears and darted out the door.

* * *

 

I had finished my breakfast and was just starting to wash dishes while waiting for a pot of coffee to brew when I heard a knock coming from the main chamber. Looking at the wall clock in surprise, I saw that it was not quite 8:00. It was too late to be Vishnal’s wake-up call and too early to be Clorica wanting to tidy.

Then the knock came again, a little louder this time, and I realized it was coming from the front door, not the side door to Venti’s chamber as I had thought. I unlocked and opened the door, and Dylas was standing there.

“Is… Is Avani here?” he asked, frowning at my attire and the implications thereof.

“She’s out doing her morning chores,” I replied, letting him in. “Have a seat; she’ll be back shortly. I just made coffee, if you’re interested.” He nodded, then stopped and frowned again, his nose twitching, as he stared at the disheveled bedding. Turning abruptly away from the sight, he sat in one of the chairs next to the fireplace, his back to the back door.

I returned to the kitchen and finished washing up, then poured two cups of coffee. I set one on the table and handed the other to Dylas, saying, “If you’ll excuse me a minute, I’ll just get dressed.” He scowled and nodded curtly, and I walked over to the wardrobe.

I had a few items of clothing there, so I pulled some out and proceeded to dress. I was aware that Dylas seemed uncomfortable, but I ignored him. It hadn’t bothered him before—only now that Avani and I had become intimate did it seem to disconcert him—and I had a low tolerance for such priggishness. Sooner or later, whether he liked it or not, he was going to have to come to terms with the alterations to our relationships.

As soon as I sat down on the sofa and picked up my cup of coffee, he looked over at me and said, “I guess what she said before about me being her only lover, physically, isn’t true anymore.”

I smiled, then leaned back and grinned as I thought back over that first time with her. “You’ve got _that_ right,” I said a moment later, still grinning. Then I looked over at him, took a sip of coffee as I watched him thoughtfully, and said, “But you knew it was just a matter of time, anyway. The timing was purely coincidental—it had nothing to do with your behavior.”

Dylas looked skeptical, saying, “Oh? How can you be so sure of that?”

I shrugged. “For one thing, if it had been some sort of retaliation, Avani would have initiated it. But instead it just started off with me teasing her, as usual, only I allowed things to escalate beyond the usual level. _Far_ beyond. Besides, you know she’s not that petty.”

“Still,” Dylas said, looking away, “she might not have _wanted_ to if we hadn’t… if I hadn’t….”

“No,” I replied, shaking my head, “if that was the case, she wouldn’t have sought me out as a lover in the first place, would she? Our friendship would have more than sufficed if chaste companionship was all she desired of me.”

Dylas looked down at the floor and sighed. “I suppose you’re right. I… I wanted to believe that if anyone else ever came along, I’d be able to let her go… that I could be… I guess, more noble about it. Happy that she’s happy—that sort of thing. But now that it’s really happening… it’s not as easy as I’d hoped.”

Before I could reply, Avani burst through the back door.

* * *

 

Avani never managed to simply _walk_ into a room, or _enter_ a room. Whenever she appeared, she somehow did so with such energy, such vivaciousness, that one almost expected to hear trumpets blaring or fireworks exploding or a choir singing something loud and triumphant. It would almost be comical, if it wasn’t so damned endearing.

I stood up to go get her some coffee, but she tackled me before I’d taken more than three steps towards the kitchen. “Leeeooo!” she exclaimed, leaping onto me and wrapping her arms and legs around me. “I’m back! Did you miss me?”

I laughed at her enthusiastic greeting, saying teasingly, “The ninety minutes you were gone were the longest of my life, My Lady. But I should warn you, we aren’t alone.”

She slipped down, looking behind me with a surprised look, then blushed slightly as she saw Dylas rising from his seat. “O-oh! Dylas, you’re here already? I didn’t expect you this early.”

“So I noticed,” he said, flatly.

I cupped her cheek in my hand, murmuring, “Why don’t you tidy yourself up, My Lady, while I get you a cup of coffee?” before kissing her forehead.

She nodded, smiling up at me, and said, “Would you also bring me some of those cookies that Kiel brought us yesterday, please? I had a lot to do this morning, and I hurried as fast as I could, so I’m already hungry again!” I laughed again as she opened her wardrobe, then I headed to the kitchen.

* * *

 

When I returned a few minutes later with a tray containing the coffee pot, a cup for her, and a plate of the delicate little butter cookies, she had changed into clean clothing and sat down in the chair opposite Dylas, who was looking even more ill at ease by then. I set the tray on the table and poured a cup. “My Lady,” I said, handing the cup to her.

“Thank you, Leo,” she said with a smile.

“Refill?” I offered Dylas. He nodded and thanked me as I topped off his cup.

I filled my cup, too, set the pot down, and sat back down on the sofa. “Well,” I said, picking up my cup and slowly taking a sip. “I believe you have something you wish to discuss?”

“Wait, what? Avani, can’t we go somewhere more private? Why is _he_ here?” Dylas said, looking at Avani and then at me, frowning.

“I am Acting Princess of Selphia, Dylas, in case you’d forgotten,” she replied coolly. “My rooms are about as private as I am allowed to get. And Leo is here because I asked him to stay.”

“Why?” he said to her, bluntly, though he stared at me with a resentful air.

“Avani asked me to… referee. In case tempers flare.”

He looked away, then after a moment’s hesitation, nodded curtly in either agreement or acceptance. Avani reached for a cookie and leaned back in her chair, nibbling at it and sipping her steaming coffee as she watched Dylas. Her face was expressionless, except for her eyes, which betrayed a variety of conflicting emotions. And so she sat and waited for him to speak.

Clearing his throat nervously, Dylas began. “Avani… first let me just say that I’m no good with words—you know that. And I’m bad-tempered and stubborn—you know that, too. And I often don’t think things through, just act without thinking…. But you know _that_ , as well. So with all that in mind, I want to say that I’m… I’m sorry, so very sorry, for what I did. And I hope you’ll give me a chance to explain…”

“Like you did me?” Avani interrupted, coldly.

Dylas winced, and said, “I know, I know. I’m asking you to be more generous to me than I was to you, and I know it’s unfair of me to even hope for that. But all the same…”

He stood up, walked over to her chair, and knelt down in front of her, hanging his head as he spoke. “I was stupid, and a dick, and I treated you horribly. I was so, so wrong. I was unfair to you, and you have every right to hate and despise me. But…” he looked up to her, and I could see tears in his eyes, “but please don’t. I couldn’t bear it if you hated me. You’re the one really good thing in my life, and even if I’ve lost any claim to your affection, please don’t hate me. I really want you back, Avani, more than anything else in the world. But if you don’t want me anymore, please at least let me be your friend. But if there’s any chance— _any_ chance at all—that you’d take me back in spite of it all… I’ll do _anything_ you ask, anything at all.” He looked back down at the floor, waiting for Avani to say something, his hands clenched tightly on his knees and tears slowly trickling down his cheeks.

Avani sat, giving him a long, appraising look. After a moment, I saw a gleam in her eyes, and smiled to myself, wondering what mischief she was thinking up. Finally she said, “ _Anything_?”

Dylas nodded, saying without looking up, “Yes, anything. If it’s at all possible, I’ll do it. And even if it’s impossible, I’ll try my hardest anyway.”

“You’d bake me a cake every day _and_ eat it with me?”

“Yes,” he replied, “as many as you wanted.”

“You’d give up fishing?”

“I’d break my poles and give you the pieces,” he replied without hesitation.

“You’d make friends with Doug?”

He hesitated ever so slightly. “That _might_ be impossible, since he’d have to be willing, too. But I’d try my hardest to be friends with him, if _you_ asked me to do it.”

“You’d… wear a saddle and give me horsey rides through town?”

He winced at that, but still replied in a quiet voice, his head hanging even lower, “I… I’d even wear a _bridle_ , if that’s what it took for you to forgive me.” Then he looked up at her again, saying, “It doesn’t matter what you ask me to do. I don’t care how badly you humiliate me, or how difficult or dangerous a task you ask me to do. I said I’d do _anything_ to win you back, and I mean it.”

Her eyes softened then, and she reached a hand out to gently wipe the tears from his cheeks. “I forgive you, Dylas…” He rocked back on his heels, his eyes widening in surprise, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Avani place a finger on his lips to quiet him. “But I’d be lying if I said everything was back to normal. It isn’t. And I’d also be lying if I said I wasn’t hurt and angry. I’m not _quite_ so angry anymore… if I don’t think about it too much, at least. But you did hurt me, terribly. And you lost my trust. So the only task I have for you, I suppose, is to earn my trust again. In the end,” she added somewhat drily, “you may find that far more difficult than wearing a saddle or befriending Doug.”

“So then….” Dylas started, trailing off as he looked anxiously up at her.

“So I’m willing to be friends with you. I still care about you, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to trust you again, or if I’ll ever love you again in the same way I did before. Trust can be earned back, if you’re willing to work for it. But love is another story. It gives itself as it will and to whom it will, and I can’t control it. So knowing that—knowing you could try all your life and never succeed, and knowing that, in the meantime, you’re no more than a friend to me, and knowing that I will have other lovers—and that you will inevitably see me with them, and that you will have no right to be upset or hurt or jealous…. Knowing all these things, do you still want to try to win me back?”

He looked into her eyes for a long moment before replying, “Like I said, even if you ask the impossible, I’ll still try my hardest.”

“There is, however, something thing you need to attend to before I can truly consider you my friend again….” Avani said after a moment. “Illuminata. You treated her despicably, you know—you used her and lied to her. She didn’t deserve that, and you need to make it up to her. Just apologizing and asking her to forgive you isn’t enough, though certainly you need to do those, too. You need to make amends for your actions. I’ll leave it to you to decide how best to accomplish that, though naturally you’re welcome to seek advice—from anyone but me or Lumie herself, that is. Once you’ve accomplished that, I’ll consider us friends again. Just think of it as the first step in winning back my trust.”

She stood up, and looking down at Dylas thoughtfully, she said, “Do you remember how hard I had to work to earn first your friendship, and then your affection?” Dylas cringed and nodded, not meeting her gaze as she continued. “How rude you were, especially at first? The hurtful things you said to me, the way you’d just walk right by me, ignoring me completely? The way even your tail would switch in irritation whenever I’d approach you? Befriending you was one of the hardest tasks I’ve had since coming to Selphia. Defeating your Guardian monster was far easier than winning you over afterwards. Well, after all the effort I put in, you’ve set us back to square one. To get past that, you need to take care of Illuminata. Once you’ve settled things with her, I’ll be willing to give you my _friendship_ —which was more than you did for me—but love will be much more difficult to win.”

She gestured for him to stand up, and as he did, she added, “Oh, and there’s one last thing I want to clarify. I quite frankly don’t care if you take other lovers. It won’t affect how I feel about you one way or another. I can’t imagine why you’d think I _did_ mind—if it bothered me, I would never have taken two myself. All I ask of you—and this goes for you, too, Leo—is first, if you are taking someone as your lover, it’s because you truly love and care for that person—and yes, I really believe you can love more than one person at the same time, since it happened to me, after all —and second, that you are, in this and in _all_ matters, honest and forthright with me. I was so hurt by your… your fling with Lumie because of how you behaved throughout the whole misunderstanding, not because I was jealous. You ought to know me well enough by now to know my attitude towards sex and relationships is _far_ more relaxed than your own.”

She walked over to her wardrobe and opened it, removing several articles of men’s clothing that were not mine. “Here, you still have a bunch of things in my wardrobe. You’ve more or less switched positions with Leo, you know—now he’s my lover, spending nights here with me, while you’re the friend who maybe sometimes sleeps on the daybed in my study. So you really don’t need to keep extra clothes here… for now, anyway. You can keep any equipment that you want here in my storeroom, though—that is, if you want the three of us to go back to working together again? After you’ve settled things with Lumie, that is—not before.”

Dylas looked away, saying, “I-I’d like that. To be able to go out and fight with you again, I mean. I always loved that….”

Avani looked at him for a moment, then walked over to him and gently put her arms around him. “I’m glad you still want to be friends,” she said in a soft voice. His face reddened, and he awkwardly returned her embrace. A moment later, she stepped back, saying, “You’d better get going. You still need to figure out what to do about Lumie. I’ll be busy for several days yet, training some of the others here to help with the defense of the town. As soon as I’ve finished with that, however, I plan to see what I can do to get into Sechs territory and begin hunting Ethelberd down. So if you want to join us for that, you need to wrap things up as quickly as you can. But no shortcuts! Do it right or not at all.”

Dylas gathered up his clothing, leaving the equipment for now, and turning to Avani, he said, “I’ll do my best to make up for everything, with you as well as with Illuminata.” And with that, he left.


	27. Chapter 27

As soon as Dylas left, Avani sighed, then turned to me. “Do you have work to do today? Or do you want to do something together?”

“Well… I really should work on that translation….” I said, hesitantly. She looked so disappointed, though, that I grabbed her hand and pulled her firmly to me, saying “On the other hand, you’re irresistibly adorable. As you wish, My Lady—what did you have in mind?”

She looked up at me, her eyes half-closed, and ran her fingers through my hair, trailing them deliciously down my spine as she whispered, “The dungeons in Idra Cave.”

I pulled back in astonishment, then burst out laughing. “So here I’ve placed my body entirely at your disposal, to do with me as you will… and you want to go fight monsters?” I teased.

“Oh come on, you _know_ you want to!” she grinned up at me. “That’s one of the things that _I_ love about _you_ —we both love the thrill of danger and adventure. Dylas is much more cautious—he’ll _never_ understand that part of me, and it’ll always worry him and make him fuss over me. But I don’t even need to try to explain it to _you_ , because you _get_ it.”

I caressed her cheek affectionately, saying, “I suppose you have a point there. I dread boredom more than anything. And many people are just… dull. Until they’re teased, that is.”

“Hmmm, is that why you tease me so much?” she asked, looking up at me through her long eyelashes. “Do you find me boring otherwise?”

I swept her up in my arms, nibbling along her neck as I carried her to the bed. “Far from it,” I murmured into her ear as I laid her down and reached for the top button of her blouse. “I find you more and more exciting every day.”

* * *

 

Standing at the mouth of Idra Cave, I watched in amusement as Avani scowled at Arthur, hands on her hips as she stared down the elegant, poised young prince. “What do you _mean_ , you don’t have better armor? You’re a _prince_! How can you not have better equipment than… than _this_?!” she scolded him, gesturing scornfully at his rudimentary equipage.

He took her berating good-naturedly, just shrugging with a smile. “Well,” he replied, “since I specialize in commerce, not combat, I’ve just not needed anything better before now.”

Avani sighed. “I suppose that’s true enough… and I suppose I should have checked and not just assumed. But honestly, Arthur, you should invest in some better equipment. These are dangerous times in Norad, and as a prince, you could be a potential target. So promise me you’ll see to that, okay? Because if you don’t… _I’ll find out_.” she said, in her scariest voice.

“Ahh, Avani, you’re kind of making me nervous,” Arthur said, drops of sweat beading on his brow as he looked down at her.

“Good!” she said, suddenly cheerful again. “Then maybe you’ll follow through! I just don’t want you to get hurt, okay, Arthur? So _please_ promise me?” she looked up at him with such a meltingly adorable look of concern that she had me shaking with suppressed laughter, as I knew it was all an act—she certainly knew how to turn on the charm when she wanted to. However, Arthur didn’t realize that, and he blushed bright pink and stammered out a promise to upgrade as soon as we returned.

Satisfied, Avani turned and peered into the dark cave.

* * *

 

After we’d made love, I gave in to her wish to go adventuring, even agreeing with a sigh when she said she wanted to bring Arthur along for some training. I’d been looking forward to possibly exploring those caverns with her… in ways that precluded additional companions. Some other time, perhaps, I thought regretfully to myself. But I extracted a promise that, in return, we’d do something afterwards that _I_ wanted to do. She’d blushed so adorably at that—obviously drawing her own conclusions as to what I might have in mind—that I almost dragged her back to bed right then. But instead I followed her downstairs to the storeroom where she kept armor and weapons.

We grabbed our things and tracked Arthur down in his offices. He quickly agreed to Avani’s proposal, and remembering the way I’d caught him looking at her that night in Porcoline’s restaurant, I thought that perhaps I’d need to keep an eye on this one. But then, I thought to myself, that could be said of _all_ the young men in town—and even some of the ladies, remembering Amber’s exuberant displays of affection and Margaret’s recent mania for writing love songs and her nervous blushes whenever Avani was near.

* * *

 

“All right. Arthur, since you’re so _astonishingly_ ill-equipped for serious combat, I want you to keep to the rear. Stick to spells, and I’ll rely on you for healing, too. But most of all, observe us and learn from us. Okay?” Arthur nodded in agreement, and she continued.

“Leo, I’d like to see you work on improving your spear skills. Also, your defense isn’t as well developed as I’d like, so I want you to work on that, too. Unfortunately, the only way to get that kind of experience is to just get in there and fight. I won’t let them kill you _all_ the way, though, I promise.” I grinned at her, and she grinned back at me before turning back to the cave opening. She pulled out her dual swords, and in a flash she was off and running into the first level of caverns.

The first level was by now relatively easy going for us—just a warm-up, really. Nevertheless, by the time we reached the rearmost cavern with the stairs to the second level, I noticed Arthur was already out of breath and falling behind. I caught up to Avani and warned her that the prince couldn’t keep up with her pace. “We’re supposed to be helping him get stronger, Leo,” she replied, although she slowed down and glanced back at him as she spoke.

“Yes, but not if it kills him in the process, My Lady,” I said with a smile. “Let’s take a break before the next level, so he can catch his breath.”

She looked dubious, so I called back to Arthur, “Hey, Arthur, we’re going on down to the next level. We’ll wait for you there. Take a break, catch your breath, and have some food and drink—you don’t look too well. You’ll be perfectly safe in this cavern, monsters never come this far back.” He nodded as he paused for breath, too fatigued to speak.

I grabbed Avani’s hand and pulled her, laughing in spite of herself, down the stairs. I looked around the cavern, and decided that the adjacent cavern would best suit my requirements.

I pulled her through the narrow passage connecting the two caverns, then turning to her, I gave her a wicked grin. “Alone at last, My Lady.”

“Mm-hmmm… and…?” she replied, sidling up to me and wrapping her arms around my neck. “Now what?”

I lifted her up and carried her over to the smooth wall of the cavern, then set her down and pushed her gently up against the wall. “Guess,” I said, bending down to kiss her neck.

“Leo… what if Arthur follows us here?” she said, running her nails lightly down my spine, making me shiver with pleasure at the sensation.

I nipped her neck, sucking on the soft skin near her throat as she gasped and dug her nails into my back. “So what if he does?” I whispered throatily as I kissed and nibbled her ear. I reached a hand down and flipped up her skirt, then slid her panties down until they fell to the ground. She was already wet with anticipation, and I knew this wasn’t going to be one of our longer lovemaking sessions.

I unbuckled my pants and let them slip down to the ground. Then I lifted her up and lowered her down onto me as I held her by her thighs, pressing her back against the wall for support as I began to thrust. She broke free of our kiss with a gasp, and within just a few moments began to moan and gasp my name as she neared her climax, her legs tightening around my waist and her fingers tangled in my hair. I kissed her neck, then nibbled and sucked at it as her moans turned into breathless cries as she climaxed, squeezing tightly around me.

I felt an intense wave of heat surge through me as she shuddered and moaned in my arms, and with a few more deep thrusts, I reached the peak. I buried my face in her neck, nipping at her and groaning her name as I overflowed into her. After a few slower thrusts, she kissed me and slipped down to the ground, leaning against the wall for a minute to catch her breath. I released her, pulled up my pants and fastened my belt. Then, with a wicked look at her, I quickly reached down and snatched up her panties before she could retrieve them.

"H-hey!" she exclaimed with a laugh, reaching for them. "Give those back!"

"Hmmm," I said, holding them up just out of reach as I pushed down on her head to keep her from jumping up to grab them. "I think I'll just hang on to these for now." I grinned down at her as she began to squirm.

"Leeooo!" she cried, looking alarmed and wriggling a little, "Please! I-I'm dripping! It's running down my leg!"

I laughed at her, saying, "Think of this is your punishment for inviting someone else along." Just then we heard Arthur calling for us as he came down the stairs. I quickly crammed the bit of silky pink fabric into my rucksack and grinned at her discomfiture.

"Oh! You…! I'll get you for this!" she declared, giving me a black look as we went to join Arthur in the other cavern.

"I’ll be looking forward to it," I replied, grinning even more broadly at her.


	28. Chapter 28

Arthur, Avani, and I returned to her rooms shortly past 21:00. I helped her make a quick supper while Arthur rested. He looked pretty worn out, but he’d done fairly well given the limitations of his gear and physical condition he was in. By the time our meal was ready, he was looking much better.

“You know, Arthur,” she said as we sat before the fireplace to eat, “you really need to get in shape. Your health is important!”

He smiled as he reached for some pickles. “Yes, I know. It’s a matter of finding the time. But I appreciate your concern.”

“At least promise me that you’ll get in and see Jones soon. How long has it been since you last had a physical?”

“Ahh, well… rather longer than it should be, I know. Jones has been after me to get over to his clinic, but then I get busy with work and forget all about it. I’ll try to get over there soon.”

“I would recommend that,” I interjected with a grin. “Otherwise he might sic Avani on you.”

He looked over at her as she aimed a kick at my leg, then quietly said with his enigmatic smile, “I don’t know that I would really mind that so very much.” She stopped and stared at him in astonishment, her cheeks turning pink, and I burst out laughing.

* * *

 

After the prince left, Avani turned to me with a raised eyebrow, saying, “Well, even though you pulled a dirty trick on me, I _did_ promise that we could do something you wanted to do next. So… what will it be?”

“Dirty trick?” I exclaimed in protest, widening my eyes in mock innocence.

“Dirty and _mean_!” she replied emphatically, but with a wide grin—and I knew that I’d been forgiven… but also that she wouldn’t soon forget. I’d need to keep my eyes open for a while, that much was certain.

I grinned back at her, and said, “Well, then, My Lady, you’d better get yourself undressed and right into that bed.” She complied with my demand, slowly—even teasingly—removing her clothing and setting it aside to be laundered the next day, then slipping under the covers. She lay on her side, her head resting on her hand, and looked at me through her long eyelashes, a smile on her lips.

I whisked off my clothing, tossing it on top of hers, and slid into bed next to her. I leaned over and gave her a long kiss as I caressed her back and shoulder, then I whispered, “Good night, My Lady,” rolled over, and blew out the lamp.

She let out startled exclamation, and I said, “What? Were you expecting something else?”

“Uhh… I guess? I mean, kind of… well, _yeah_!” she said, sounding perturbed and maybe more than a little disappointed.

“I said something that _I_ wanted to do, if you recall. I never said what that would be.”

After a moment, she said, “Then… what you want to do is just go to bed early and go right to sleep?”

“I suppose that’s _one_ way of looking at it. Of course, the way _I_ see it is that the thing I want to do will be early in the morning. So it’s best to get to sleep now, or we might oversleep,” I said, chuckling into the darkness.

* * *

 

I awoke Avani well before dawn with breakfast in bed. Afterwards, I led her through the fading darkness to the northeastern corner of the town, to the observatory there. We climbed the long, spiraling flight of stairs to the top of the tall tower, then stepped out onto the observation deck just as the sky was lightening in the east. Avani darted to the fence enclosing the deck and exclaimed in delight as the sky turned shades of rosy pink and dusky lavender that gradually warmed to peach and amber as dawn approached.

“Hey, you. Come over here,” I said to her, holding out an arm to her. She snuggled up to me, still gazing east, the muted colors of the sky reflected in her green eyes and on her fair skin.

“What a beautiful sunrise!” she sighed, leaning into me as I put my arms around her. We watched in silence as the sun slowly rose over the horizon, turning the sky shades of blue and gold and casting both light and shadow across the colorful valley before us.

I’d seen this view many times before—and not just recently. Thinking back to a distant time, a time when a younger, more innocent me would watch the sun come up over these very hills, I suddenly felt an ache of nostalgia—and loneliness. Although the hills and valleys were the same, they had changed, too, and in both distinct and subtle ways. And it was the more subtle alterations to the landscape I had once known so well that caused the deepest pangs in my heart: the changed boundaries of the forests; ancient, old-growth patriarchs of the woods that, in my youth, had been mere saplings; the altered courses of the rivers and streams; the profiles of mountains that had once been craggy and young but now were more smooth and rounded with age.

Holding her tightly to me as I looked out across the landscape, I asked, “Tell me, what do you think of the view from up here? How does it make you feel?” I watched her as she looked down across the valley and the town below, and to my surprise, I saw a tear glittering like a tiny jewel in the corner of her eye.

“I….” she started hesitantly, then stopped.

“Yes? Go ahead, My Lady. You can tell me anything,” I said softly, giving her a gentle squeeze.

She swallowed hard, as if forcing back tears, and said, “It makes me feel… lonely. Isolated.” I started, too startled by her words to respond. She looked quickly up at me, asking, “Is something wrong?”

“No,” I said, smiling at her. “I was just… surprised. Surprised to hear you voice my own thoughts.”

“You feel the same way up here?” she asked me curiously.

I nodded, looking back across the terrain again. “It’s the same view I remember from my childhood, yet it’s _not_ the same… not quite. And that just reminds me anew of all that I’ve lost—how so much that was once familiar to me has vanished and been forgotten with the passage of centuries. Being the sole living relic of my era… it’s a lonely feeling. Sometimes I almost feel crushed under the unbearable weight of the ages that separate me from my home.”

She nodded, a wistful look in her eyes. “I think I understand what you mean. With me, I feel like I don’t _really_ belong here. I mean, everyone’s been so kind and welcoming and friendly. It’s not _that_. But… most of the people in town have roots here. They were born here, their parents were born here, and so on, for many generations back sometimes. And even those who moved here from elsewhere, like Vishnal, still have well-established roots nearby. But you and I—and the other three Guardians, too—we don’t _have_ any roots anymore. We’ve all lost ours, one way or another. We’re transplants in an alien world—outsiders looking in at the window. Being up here on this tower, looking down at the town below, just increases that sense of detachment. And that makes me feel lonely… even when I’m not alone.”

I gave her another squeeze, and we held each other tightly as we watched the town waking below us, Avani leaning her head against my chest. And I believe… I believe she really _did_ understand.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The events in the short story "Three Little Words," in Chronicles of the Selphia Plains, take place near the beginning of this chapter, and the events of that story are briefly referenced nearer to the end. It isn't necessary to read the short story, but it will add depth to the characters involved.

We spent many of the next several days going out on training missions, preparing the most able-bodied townsfolk in case they were needed to help defend Selphia. Arthur kept his word, investing in better quality armor and weapons the day after Avani’s scolding. She also took greater care from then on to check what gear her trainees had before taking them out—and supplying them as best she could with what they lacked if they were unable to arm themselves.

Before their falling out, she had intended to ask Dylas to help her with those townsfolk who needed close combat training rather than magical, but he’d all but disappeared since their conditional reconciliation. Even Porcoline said he’d hardly seen him at all recently. He returned to his room late at night and went straight to bed, then he’d be gone again long before Porcoline himself awoke. Avani looked concerned but said nothing, leaving him to take care of his business in his own time and fashion. Meanwhile, I helped her out in his stead, which didn’t do _me_ any harm, either.

After more than two weeks of intensive training with only a few days of rest, Avani felt satisfied with the results. Everyone still had a ways to go, but they’d improved dramatically. If they could manage to continue training on their own, she told Arthur and Forte, they’d soon find themselves a force to be reckoned with. The only one who didn’t make any substantial progress was Amber—but Avani gave her up as a lost cause after a couple more outings. She was just too sweet and innocent to be an effective fighter, so she asked Doug to please take special care of her as well as Granny Blossom if anything happened.

She met with Arthur the day after she declared the initial phase of training to be over and found that he’d finally managed to secure a drop point on the far side of the destroyed bridge. It had not been easy, he said, because they needed a place that was secluded enough not to attract unwanted attention, and that was sheltered from the extreme winds and rock slides that were a constant danger along the Maya Road—particularly important now that the winter snows had arrived. But at last he found a place that seemed ideal, near an unoccupied farmhouse not far from the trailhead.

Meanwhile, he’d asked Volkanon to see to repairing the bridge, as that was apparently one of his areas of expertise. He refused to leave Venti’s side, however, so instead he trained Clorica to complete the task on his behalf—with a little help.

One morning shortly after she’d completed Volkanon’s training, Clorica approached Avani as we broke our fast and asked for her assistance with the bridge repairs—she had the knowledge to construct the bridge, she said, but not the strength to carry and place the heavy stones. Avani agreed, and the two soon departed. Bereft of my companion, I settled down to spend the day on my translation work.

Avani returned home just past sunset, exhausted and grimy from the day’s work. As I came down the stairs leading to her study, she dropped down into one of her chairs, saying wearily, “It’s finished. I swear there isn’t a muscle in my body that doesn’t ache.”

I smiled at my lover, thinking to myself that all the sweat and dust and grime in the world couldn’t dim her beauty in _my_ eyes. I gathered her up in my arms and kissed her, tasting and smelling the salty tang of sweat and the earthiness of soil and stone and timber. “Would you like a long soak in a hot bath, My Lady?”

“More than anything,” she replied fervently, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“Then you shall have one,” I said, carrying her out the back door.

She let out a sharp exclamation when she realized that I intended to carry her the whole way there, but I refused to set her down. “You’re much too tired to walk there,” I murmured into her ear, “and besides, I rather enjoy holding you close to me. I’ll leave you to Xiao’s tender care and fetch you some clean clothing while you enjoy a good soak. Take as long as you like.”

* * *

 

She was completely recovered by morning, and at breakfast she said she wanted to leave for the Maya Road the following day—with or without Dylas. Her defensive preparations for the town were complete, so all that remained was to equip us for the journey. “I’ll leave word first thing this morning for Dylas, letting him know my plans. Can you arrange for supplies, while I handle our weapons and armor?” she asked as we finished our coffee, reaching for a pad of paper and a pencil as she spoke.

“Yes, I should be able to manage that,” I replied. “Do you plan to return to town each night, or try to camp along the Maya Road?”

“I don’t think it’s feasible to camp up there. The strong winds would likely blow us off a cliff in our sleep, and although there _are_ caves, I understand that they’re populated by strange, dangerous monsters about which little is known. I think I’d prefer to return to town when possible, but prepare emergency camping gear, just in case, okay? And I don’t know when, or even _if_ , we’ll hear from Dylas—whether he’ll be able to join us or not. But plan for three, just to be safe.”

“As you wish, My Lady,” I replied, giving her a kiss as she dashed off to deliver her note and begin her day’s work.

A little while later, after I’d washed up from breakfast and was pulling my clothes on to go shop for our supplies, the front door banged open and Dylas burst in, breathless and panting, clutching a piece of paper in his hand. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he gasped, “Is-is Avani here? I need to talk to her.”

I raised an eyebrow at him as I tightened and fastened my belt buckle emphatically, then said coolly, “I think she’s still out back, doing her morning chores. What’s up?”

He pushed past me, racing out the back door, but he called back, “I need you guys to wait just one more day—then I think I’ll be able to join you.” I stared after him for a moment, then shrugged as I grabbed my vest and followed to see what transpired.

He caught up to her just as she began to empty bushels of fruit from her orchard into her shipping bin. I strolled up just as he was saying, “I’ve nearly finished my preparations for making up with Illuminata. It took a long time to… well, to track down what I needed. But everything won’t be ready until tomorrow, so please, can you wait just one more day? Then I can come with you—if you’ll let me, I mean. Please, Avani. I _want_ to come with you. I want to fight by your side.”

She placed the last of the apples into the bin and banged the lid shut. “Give me a minute to think, Dylas. I need to tend to my beasts right now.” She dropped the bushel baskets next to the bin and headed into her barn.

Dylas trailed along after her, and I followed. We kept out of her way, following her from one room to another as she tended her beasts. She was silent as she worked, first making a quick run through to gather the day’s produce and add it to the shipping bin just in time for the morning pick-up, then making a second pass to groom her monsters. As she brushed her beasts, she seemed to be lost in thought, murmuring to them absentmindedly.

Finally, while she brushed Baldur’s gleaming, metallic coat as the wolf grinned with pleasure, licking her face in appreciation, she looked at Dylas and said, “I’ll give you one more day. I don’t deny that it would be nice to have you along—you’re a good fighter, and the Maya Road is a dangerous place. But I also can’t keep postponing forever. Winter’s here now, and the weather is only going to get worse the longer I delay. And I _certainly_ don’t want to wait until spring.”

She gave one final stroke with the brush to Baldur’s back, then scratched his ears before she continued. “You’ll need to get your gear in order first. So sometime today, please take stock of your equipment and let me know if you need repairs or replacements for any of your armor and weapons. I think most of it is still in my storeroom. Go ahead on in when you’re ready; you know where it is. I’ll do what I can to outfit you. Leo is taking care of other arrangements—food, medical supplies, and so on. If you come along, I’ll put you in charge of cooking, so you’ll need to let Leo know if there’s anything particular you want him to get. He’s also going to pack camping gear, just in case—I don’t intend to camp overnight in such a hostile environment, but it’s best to be prepared. We’ll need to travel lightly, though—I don’t plan to bring Baldur this time.”

She put her brush away in her pack, stroking the big wolf’s head lovingly as he gazed up at her adoringly and whined, aware she was talking about him. She turned back to Dylas and said, “Check in with me or Leo sometime before 20:00 and let us know what you need, and I’ll work on your gear tomorrow. You can sleep in my guest bed tomorrow night, and we’ll leave early the following morning. All of this is assuming that I approve of what you do tomorrow with regards to Lumie, of course.”

He nodded, then turned and started to dash off, but Avani grabbed his arm and stopped him. Looking him in the eyes with a long, steady gaze, she said, “Dylas… don’t disappoint me.”

He met her gaze and nodded, standing a little straighter as he said, “I won’t.” Then she let him go and he dashed out of the barn.

I looked at Avani, then put my arm around her shoulders as we walked back to her suite. “Well,” I said looking sadly into her eyes, “I can’t deny feeling some regret that we won’t be working alone, after all. But you’re right—it’ll be good to have another fighter with us. And while I wish we could take someone who _isn’t_ a rival for your affection, Dylas is the strongest fighter in town. Except, of course, for us,” I added with an audacious grin, earning a chuckle.

“Well,” she said, as she unloaded the produce she’d kept from the morning’s harvest into her refrigerator, “since I have an extra day, I think I’ll see about expanding my barn. It’s getting crowded, and I’d like room for a few additions. I’ll see you at dinner tonight, if not before,” she said, then pulled me down to her and kissed me. “Thanks for your help, Leo. I love you.” Then she was sprinting out the door again before I could muster a reply.

* * *

 

I spent the day planning what supplies we’d need and making arrangements with the shops in town to get them delivered. Dylas didn’t request anything of me, so I ordered rice, dried fruits, dried fish, root vegetables, and basic kitchen staples such as flour and salt to be delivered. Afterwards, I spent a few hours fishing, to stock Avani’s refrigerator with fish for quick meals either before or after the day’s efforts.

When I returned to her rooms, I found a large box on her coffee table with an envelope resting on the top. It was sealed, but I could detect faint traces of earthy smells coming from it, as well as something… no, some _one_ familiar that I couldn’t quite place, rather like a word just at the tip of one’s tongue.

I was examining the envelope, which bore no writing, when Avani walked in the back door. “What’s that?” she asked, curiously, as she hung up her jacket and kicked off her boots.

“No idea, it was just sitting here when I arrived. There’s no name, but I assume it’s for you as this is, after all, your home.”

“Hmmm, curious,” she said as she took the envelope from my hand. She opened it and read the script on the enclosed card, her cheeks flushing deep pink as she read.

“What is it?” I asked, feeling very curious by now.

She didn’t answer, but instead opened the box. Inside was a selection of rare minerals and ores, including gold, platinum, and even a small amount of the very rare ore called orichalcum, and a few unpolished gemstones. I whistled, saying, “Well, _somebody_ knows what you like! Who’s it from?”

“It… it’s from Barrett. He says here that it’s to thank me for my ‘generosity’ to him. He says he thinks I’ll find these useful to our preparations for our upcoming campaign.”

I was surprised, to put it lightly. I recalled the recent event to which he alluded with a frown, my ear twitching in annoyance at the reminder. It had been a singularly unpleasant occasion—for _me_ , that is, not for _him_ —and I’d found it more difficult than I cared to admit even to myself to maintain a friendly demeanor towards the man for some time afterwards. Even now, having more or less regained my equanimity, I still very much disliked to be reminded of it, even in such a generous way. Though when I considered it, even the exorbitantly expensive orichalcum wasn’t worth as much as ten _minutes_ alone with Avani—and _he’d_ had several hours with her. You just can’t put a price on the priceless, I thought to myself.

* * *

 

We’d just finished dinner and started to wash the dishes when there was a knock on the front door. I went to answer it, and found Dylas waiting on the doorstep with his arms full of equipment. I let him in, and he said, “I’ve looked over what I have and figured out what I think I’ll need. Is… is Avani around?”

Just then she stepped out of the kitchen, having heard his voice. “So what will you need?” she asked, eying the gear he had brought with him and gesturing to the sitting area. He dropped it on the floor by a chair and sat down, and Avani sat on the end of the sofa nearest to him. I sat next to her, placing my arm around her shoulders, and we had a look at what Dylas had brought.

“First, my armor is kind of battered. It would probably be fine with just some repairs, though of course I’m always grateful for any improvements. Same with my boots—the toes and heels in particular are pretty beat up. My headgear seems to be holding up okay. Now for my gloves…” and he pulled out from the pile some decrepit fighting gloves. “Of course my gloves get the hardest use, so they always seem to wear out the fastest. So if it wouldn’t be too much trouble….”

“Don’t be silly, Dylas. Do you think I’d ever send you into combat unprepared? You should have heard me chewing Arthur out a while back when he brought out some really low-grade crap! Remember that, Leo?” she said, turning to me with a grin.

“Every minute of it,” I said slowly, in a low voice, looking at her suggestively as I gave her shoulders a squeeze. I had the pleasure of seeing her blush deeply as she inferred my meaning.

Clearing her throat as she turned back to Dylas, she continued, “A-anyway, as I was saying…. Of course it’s no trouble. I’ll see what I can do for you tomorrow. Barrett just today sent us a very kind gift of some valuable materials, so I should be able to come up with some pretty good weapons for all of us, and there might be enough for armor, too.”

Dylas frowned, looking puzzled. “Barrett? Why would _he_ do something like that? He seems like a nice enough guy—but not _that_ nice. Not that rich, either.”

“It… it’s a long story,” Avani said with a sigh. “I’ll tell you about it some other time, maybe. I guess he felt like he owed me a… a favor, and apparently this was how he chose to repay it. It was unnecessary, of course—friends help friends in need, and that’s all I did, really. But I’m grateful to have the materials, so I won’t complain.”

“ _I_ might,” I muttered.

Avani shot me a warning glance, and Dylas glanced sharply at me as she went on. “I don’t know what you have planned for tomorrow… when do you expect to have some free time?”

“Oh, ahh… about that. I wondered if you could be there, too? I think everything will be in place by lunchtime, so if you could meet me at Porcoline’s at midday… and if it’s not too much to ask, could you maybe bring Illuminata with you? She doesn’t know I have anything planned, so please don’t mention me to her. Just bring her along somehow, if you don’t mind? You can come, too,” he added, looking at me. “I’ve arranged for lunch. There’ll be grilled fish….”

“Then I’ll be there,” I added with a wide grin.

“Great. Then… I guess I’ll leave my stuff here and see you around 12:00 tomorrow? I think… I _hope_ that I’ll be free the rest of the day, after lunch. So I can do anything you want then.” He rose, and we walked him to the door. He turned and waved goodbye, and as we waved back, I leaned down and kissed Avani’s neck. Then I pulled her back into the room before closing and locking the door behind us.


	30. Chapter 30

“I wonder what Dylas has planned?” Avani wondered out loud the next morning as we washed up after breakfast.

“Well, My Lady, in just a few hours, you’ll have the opportunity to find out,” I said, smiling at her as I took a cup from her to dry.

“I suppose… I hope I can persuade Illuminata to come. At least it’s her day off today, so it’s just a matter of tracking her down. You’ll come, too, won’t you?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I said with a wide grin.

“Meaning that whether he succeeds or fails, you expect to be amused one way or another?” she replied drily.

“My Lady, I’m hurt by your accusations. Do you really think me so insensitive?” I said, adopting a wounded air.

She just grinned up at me, then setting her washcloth down, she reached up with still-damp hands, twining her fingers in my hair as she pulled me down for a long, slow kiss. “I’d say you’re _very_ sensitive,” she murmured into my ear as she felt the rapidly-enlarging bulge in my pants pressing against her.

“And _I’d_ say you’re trouble, My Lady—perfectly delightful trouble,” I replied huskily, as I swept her up into my arms and carried her back to bed.

* * *

 

We found Illuminata by Dragon Lake about half an hour before midday, sitting on a rock and gazing pensively into the mirror-like water. She started as we approached her, and said with a sad smile, “You two always look so happy together. I wish….” Then she blushed and turned back to the lake with a sigh.

“Hey, Lumie,” Avani said gently, laying a hand on the elf’s shoulder. “I wondered if you’d care to join us for lunch at Porcoline’s? I’d be so happy if you would.”

Lumie hesitated, still gazing into the water. She sighed again, saying, “Sure. I mean, it’s not like I have anywhere _else_ to be, right?” She flushed red and looked quickly at Avani, saying hastily, “Oh! I’m sorry. That sounded so rude. I didn’t mean it that way… I’m just… I guess I’m feeling unusually lonely today. Never mind me. I’ve just been reminiscing, and that always make me feel blue. But I’d like to come, if you really don’t mind.”

“We’d be delighted,” Avani replied, holding her hand out to pull the elf to her feet. The three of us strolled through the town and to the restaurant, arriving just as the sun reached its peak overhead.

When we walked in, Avani looked quickly around and immediately spotted Dylas watching for us at the counter. He came over, looking slightly flustered and anxious. Illuminata started when she saw him, turning scarlet as she looked at him, then Avani, and then back at him before looking at the floor.

“Oh! Ummm, hello, Dylas,” she said nervously.

“Hi, Illuminata, Avani, Leon. This way, please,” he said, leading us towards the back of the restaurant.

To my surprise, though, he continued on through the doors connecting the restaurant to Arthur’s offices. He held the door as Avani passed through, then myself, and finally Lumie trailing slightly behind. The room was empty except for a man I didn’t recognize—there was no sign of Arthur or any other visitors. I looked curiously at the stranger for a quick moment. He was an elf, I could see that right away by his long, slender ears. He had the willowy build common among elves, as well. Shaggy, blue-black hair hung down over his forehead, nearly covering his cobalt blue eyes as he turned to look at us.

His face lit up, and he exclaimed in a deep, resonant voice, “Posy? Is it really you?”

Lumie stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening. “D-Deasún?” She ran forward, throwing her arms around the man’s neck, a strangled sob escaping her throat as she held him tightly.

He lifted her up and spun her around, looking deliriously happy. “My precious Posy! I thought I’d _never_ find you! I thought I’d lost you for good….” And he pulled her to him, holding her tightly as they both wept and smiled and embraced each other, their faces beaming with joy.

I looked at Dylas and Avani, saying in a low voice, “I think we should leave these two alone. Don’t you agree?”

Avani slowly nodded, gaping in astonishment at the sight of the normally urbane elf acting like a giddy schoolgirl. Dylas started to lead the way back to the restaurant, but the elven man hastily set Lumie down and sprang to grab his hand with both of his.

“Wait—before you leave, I want to say thank you, sir. Without your help, I might never have found my Posy again.”

Lumie looked up at the man, saying, “ _Dylas_? How did he…?”

“We have a lot of catching up to do, pet,” he smiled down at her. “I’ll tell you all about it in due time.” She hesitated, then returned his smile. He took her hand and led her to Arthur’s small dining area, where I could see a splendid lunch had been spread for two. We left them alone and returned to the restaurant, where Dylas guided us to a private table set for three and headed off towards the kitchen.

Avani looked at him in wonder when he returned with our lunches. “What… what was _that_ all about?” she asked.

He sat and sipped at his milk for a moment, then he set his glass down. Looking at his hands on his lap, he said, “After… after you found me with Illuminata and got so mad at me—and you had every right to be, I know—and you told me that I needed to make things right with her before we could be friends again, I spent a whole day trying to think of what I could do to begin to repair the damage I’d done. It was hard—thinking’s something I’m just not very good at, you know. But I kept at it until it started to get dark and my head hurt. Then finally it dawned on me… she’d been willing only because she was so lonely. I thought I remembered someone mentioning that she’d had a lover once, so I asked around—discreetly, of course. I didn’t ask Kiel or Amber, at least,” he added, looking up at Avani.

He paused for a moment, taking another sip of his milk before continuing, “Anyway, it was Dolce—or rather, Pico—who finally shed some light on it. Apparently, one day while Dolce was visiting Amber, Pico heard a noise coming from Illuminata’s room and snuck in there. You know how, being a ghost, she can be invisible and intangible whenever she wants. So anyway, Pico found Illuminata sitting at her desk with her head on her arms, crying and holding a worn photograph of an elf man. She described him to me, and that was my first clue.

“The next thing I did was to find where she came from. Meg was able to help me with that—elves are kind of clannish, I guess. So then I spent day after day going to her old village and talking to people there. I found that the elf in the photograph was a man named Deasún, and that he’d been her lover for many years, until he just up and disappeared one day, breaking Illuminata’s heart. That’s why she left her home and came to Selphia—to try to forget about him. I thought I was screwed then, because no one seemed to know anything about him after he left.

“But I lucked out again—I just happened to stumble across an elderly elf priest who recognized his name and description—and had even seen him fairly recently, within the past year. Then it was just a matter of tracking him down from there and persuading him to come to Selphia and meet up with Illuminata. It seems that he’d left because he felt he was getting to be too settled and had some pretty bad wanderlust. But that was years ago, and lately he’d been missing her and thinking about her a lot. He hadn’t had any luck finding her, though, since I guess not many people in her village knew where she’d gone to, either. When I mentioned that she had stayed single all that time, he got really excited and couldn’t wait to see her again. So I arranged to have him come here, and talked Arthur into letting me borrow his office so that they’d have a quiet place to meet and catch up. I… I really hope it works out for her,” he said, looking down at his hands again. “I feel really bad for what I did. To _both_ of you.”

I happened to glance out the window just then, and spotted the elf man strolling past the restaurant, Lumie clinging to his arm and gazing rapturously up at him as they chatted, oblivious to the world around them, and I said with a smile, “I think the early signs are very favorable.”

Avani was dumbstruck for a few minutes, just staring at Dylas with tears in her eyes as he sat staring down at his hands, not meeting her gaze. Finally, she said, “Dylas, that was… that was incredibly sensitive of you. You managed to figure out just what she needed, you put forth a lot of effort in obtaining it, and you presented it to her in a very charming manner. I… I’m impressed, I have to say.”

He looked quickly up at her, saying hopefully, “Then… does that mean… are we friends again?”

She stood up and walked over to him, then knelt down next to him and folded her arms around him, holding him tightly and resting her cheek against his as she laughed, “Yes, you ridiculous, wonderful horse—very good friends. I couldn’t be more delighted. Thank you, Dylas.” He turned scarlet and looked away, but he looked happier than I’d seen him look in a very long time indeed.

Things were beginning to get interesting.


	31. Chapter 31

Gripping her paired swords tightly in her hands, glaring defiantly in her fury, Avani shouted, “Ethelberd, Emperor of Sechs! Return the rune spheres to me!”

The silver-haired despot slowly turned, a malevolent smile twisting the corners of his mouth. “So, you have come at last, Earthmate of Selphia. Relax! I have something… most interesting to show you.” As he pulled out a rune sphere, laughing darkly, I decided I had a _really_ bad feeling about this.

* * *

 

It had taken several long, hard days to catch up to Ethelberd. First, we had to take the Maya Road over the dangerous mountain pass that was the sole link between the two kingdoms for hundreds of miles in either direction along the border. The road alone was bad enough, with its many ferocious monsters. Man-sized heracles beetles attempted to impale us on their long horns. Foul-tempered trolls tried to crush us with their massive war hammers. Enormous black birds that strove to blast us off the many ice-slicked precipices with the wind generated by their powerful wings. Enraged hornet queens as big as my leg, relentless planchoas, vicious airrors, and wily green fey attacked us at every turn, not to mention the natural hazards—freezing temperatures, strong gusts of wind, and boulders tumbling down from the slopes around us, threatening to crush us or blow us off the mountains all together. But all of that was as nothing compared with the dangers that had lurked below in the unmapped caves deep within the mountains.

The caves beneath the Maya Road were dank and dark, dimly lit by weird, spongy growths on the cavern walls that glowed with a sickly, unnatural light. A few caverns also had large outcrops of rune crystals, the largest of which cast a faint blue light that reflected off the smaller clusters of crystals.

The caves were populated with trolls, giant beetles, slimes, and fairies that all seemed to be much stronger and hardier than their aboveground counterparts. They were all characterized by a common, vile appearance—skins and shells all shades of green and blue and purple, calling to mind heavy bruising or decay. Upon closer inspection, Avani decided that these bizarre monsters were undead—zombie forms of the creatures that dwelled along the Maya Road and some areas of the Autumn Road, probably reanimated by some spell or perhaps the result of some toxin. We all felt a singular repulsion—coupled with not a little dread—towards the denizens of the caves, though, and I know I shuddered whenever we found ourselves below ground yet again—whether forced to go beneath due to a blocked path or falling through one of many holes or weak spots in the ground.

Initially, we had returned to town each night to rest and mend our equipment, but progress was so difficult, so agonizingly _slow_ , that we soon abandoned that plan. Instead we huddled together in whatever shelter we could find from the icy winds, or occasionally, when desperate, we camped down in the caves, staying close to the stairs carved into the rock leading down from the surface. We took it in turns to keep watch, since fires were impossible—there was too little fuel at that altitude, and anyway the surface was too windy and the caves too damp. We also gave up on cooking, instead relying on dried and preserved foods eaten cold and on hardtack. Fortunately there was adequate potable water—we even found a tiny but deep lake near the summit of the highest peak, Mount Maya itself.

After a many days, we finally reached the end of the Maya Road and caught up to the Sechs soldiers. However, by that time, they had already summoned a clone of the Divine Fire, Fiersome. This clone, though certainly challenging, was easier to defeat than Terrable’s clone had been. Although Fiergaenger, as one of the soldiers named him, was more powerful than the Terraclone had been, we three had become stronger and more skilled in the interim. Furthermore, we now had better equipment. So although we were exhausted, scorched, and wounded at the end, nevertheless we defeated him with no critical injuries among us.

We spent that night in the very place where Fiergaenger had fallen. The following morning, we cautiously crept across the border into Sechs territory, keenly aware that we were now in the enemy’s demesne—a small but tenacious invasion. Mountainous and harsh, the terrain just beyond the border crossing was perpetually covered in ice and snow. A contingent of Viking orcs and ogres awaited us as we cautiously proceeded—larger, stronger, and far more vicious than their smaller kin, they fought with a ferocity as savage as the landscape around us. We slashed our way through hordes of ogres, orcs, mammoos, tundras, and many lesser monsters, before eventually reaching a cave with two openings in the floor. After a rest and a meal—the first time we’d managed a fire and an actual hot, cooked meal in days—we examined the openings in the ground and decided to take the hole to the west. We leapt down to the ground below and worked our way through the lower caverns, exiting somewhere far north and west of the border crossing.

After slashing our way through an onslaught of golden hunter wolves, silver wolves, icy plant monsters, and sealies, we finally arrived at the summit of a small, snowy peak, where we found Ethelberd standing at the cliff’s edge, his back to us as he stared intently at something below.

Avani approached him, her footsteps muffled by the newly-fallen snow, and Dylas and I fell in on either side of her. I looked at her, wondering why she hesitated, and was surprised by the play of conflicting emotions across her face: fury, fear, sorrow, disgust, curiosity, and confusion. After a moment, she seemed to pull herself together and steel herself, and she called out a challenge to her foe.

* * *

 

Ethelberd held the rune sphere out before him, taunting her as he laughed. “You should feel _honored_ , Earthmate. I’m going to show you something few have seen—something beyond the ken of mere mortals!” With that, he incanted the Omni Gate spell, and a small green dragonlet appeared before him, hissing and flailing his wings angrily.

“See this dragon? It’s small, ordinary—weak!” he crowed, contemptuously kicking a foot towards the youngster, who thrashed its tail and snapped its jaws. “But,” the emperor continued, with a triumphant gleam in his eyes, “I happen to have a part of a Native Dragon here. Watch closely!”

He pulled out a deep blue scale or fin and threw it to the ground near the dragonlet. Stepping back, he incanted the forbidden Etherlink spell, and we watched in both fascination and horror as the dragonlet and fin drew together and merged. In a flash of blinding light, a massive blue and gold dragon appeared in their place: a copy of Aquaticus, the Divine Water.

“Behold my creation, Earthmate: Aquameleon! See how I now create Native Dragons at will? Not even you and your kind have achieved the like!” He cackled with glee or insanity as he stepped back. “Now, Earthmate, let the games begin!” And with that, he turned and scrambled down the icy slope, leaving us to the dragon.

The clone soared up and spun around in a tight circle, then with a booming roar, she hovered, towering over us. As she twisted to the side and circled around us, undulating through the air, Avani charged at her with her lightning-quick dual swords. I cast a Flame Wheel, knowing that she would be most vulnerable to the element of fire, and Dylas flew in with a powerful series of rapid punches, striking the monster in her neck before she could glide past. With a sibilant howl, she whirled and dove, striking at us with her huge fins and horned snout. Scattering to dodge her blows, we quickly regrouped and again moved in to attack, only to have her once again shimmy just out of reach.

The battle lasted over two hours. Whenever we’d close in to attack, the beast would heave out of our reach to throw spells at us or to whirl around and lash us with her serpentine tail. Her spells were devastating—small globes of water that shot water lasers at us, larger globes with water laser that swept across the field, and worst of all, clusters of bubbles that attacked us, paralyzing us or putting us to sleep altogether. Several times, one or more of us was near death. Yet each time, either Avani or I managed to heal everyone before it was too late—a testament to our improving skills.

We were nearing the end of our strength when, sensing our exhaustion, the dragon hovered in close and reared up, preparing to deal a final blow. Avani summoned the last of her strength, and with a shout, executed her whirling dual blade attack, slashing across the monster’s vulnerable belly scores of times in a matter of minutes just as she started to crash down upon us. Dylas and I leapt out of her path as she crashed on top of the spinning blades, bellowing and thrashing in her death throes before vanishing in an explosion of light, her runes returning to the primeval forest from whence she had been summoned.

I darted in to Avani’s aid, with Dylas close on my heels. “My Lady!” I shouted as I reached her, crumpled and unconscious on the red-stained snow. I carefully rolled her over onto her back, and I saw that she had been badly injured by the dragon’s horns and clawed fins during her final attack. None of the injuries were critical in themselves, but blood seeped from a profusion of wounds, both major and minor. I had little strength left for healing after that battle, but I used what little I had. Casting a healing spell on her, I could see her wounds begin to close before my eyes.

Meanwhile, unable to assist with healing, Dylas dug through his rucksack for whatever food supplies he had left. He found a couple of sandwiches that he hadn’t yet eaten and fed them to me, restoring my strength enough to cast another healing spell on her. Her eyelids fluttered and opened as she regained consciousness, though she still appeared dazed. I cast one last healing spell on her, and she rose and stood, somewhat shakily, and looked around her. She was still weak from blood loss, but at least her wounds were now closed and the bleeding stanched. Still, it would take at least one more healing spell before she was entirely healed, and a few days of rest before she recovered from the loss of so much blood.

As Dylas and I joined her, we heard cackling behind us. Turning in unison, we faced Ethelberd as he dropped down from whatever perch he’d hidden in to watch the battle. He paced around us to the far side of the field, near the edge of the precipice, chortling all the while. Finally he turned and stared at Avani. “Well done, Earthmate,” he growled. “You’ve even defeated my Aquaticus clone. Very interesting, indeed! Now, then.” He turned his head and gave a loud shout. Turning back to us with a malevolent grin, he said, “I’ve prepared the ideal battleground, just for you, Earthmate of Selphia! Join me, high above the clouds!”

As he spoke, a distant rumble grew louder and louder, then an airship hove into view above the craggy cliff. With a roar of laughter, Ethelberd turned to leap onto the extended gangplank of the ship. However, before he could take a step, Doug suddenly burst onto the scene. “Not so fast!” he shouted, charging at the emperor.

Without even turning to acknowledge Doug’s attack, Ethelberd rapidly sidestepped, dodging Doug’s blow, then cast an energy spell that knocked him clear across the field. Turning with a glower of disgust, he snarled, “Keep your filthy hands off me, dwarf!”

Avani raced to Doug, who struggled to sit up, cursing weakly. Dylas ran up right behind her, and kneeling next to him, checked him for injuries. “Bah. How… disagreeable,” Ethelberd snapped. Turning again to Avani, he said, “I will await you in my floating fortress, Earthmate. Of course, you have no choice but to follow me. If you fail to come of your own accord, I will ensure that you come without it.”

“Wh-what are you saying?” Doug groaned, leaning against Dylas for support.

Still staring intently at Avani, Ethelberd replied, “You will find out soon enough, wretched creature.” Again addressing Avani, he continued, grinning evilly. “Know this: I will hunt down every last Earthmate, and I will torture and ravage _every single one_ of you—men, women, and children alike—until your kind is completely and utterly eradicated from this plane of existence.” Then he swung himself up onto the waiting airship with an exultant laugh, and the ship soared away.

Avani leapt after him, but he had moved too quickly. Standing at the very edge of the precipice, she screamed “Son of a _bitch_!” after his rapidly vanishing ship, the echoes of his laughter still reverberating through the hills. She turned and looked at us, and there was desperation in her eyes. “He’s insane! Even the children…. He’s no longer merely a threat to Selphia, or even to all of Norad. He means to wage all-out genocide.”

Doug struggled to his feet with Dylas’s assistance as she scrambled and skidded back down the icy path. “Are you all right?” she called out in concern.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine. And I’ve got something here for you,” he panted. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a glowing blue stone.

“A-a rune sphere!” Avani gasped, looking at him in astonishment.

“Yeah,” he said with a feeble attempt at laughter. “I managed to sneak one from him. Serves the bastard right….” And then he collapsed.

Dylas grabbed him and kept him from falling to the ground. Avani cried out his name as she and I both sprang forward to catch him. “My Lady! The sphere!” I reminded her as it slipped from his hand. She caught it, and Dylas and I supported Doug as she cast Escape until we returned to town.

* * *

 

At the clinic, Doug revived briefly. As Jones mildly lectured him for his recklessness, Arthur burst in. “Avani! Doug! I hear we’ve recovered one of the rune spheres!”

“Yes, thanks to Doug,” Avani said, smiling down at the groggy dwarf.

Arthur turned to him, saying, “Well done, Doug. You have our thanks.” Doug smiled and gave a thumbs-up before falling back on his pillow with a groan.

Turning back to Avani, Arthur said, “It would be well to return it to one of the rune spots as soon as possible. However, if we don’t post an adequate guard, there’s a good chance the Sechsons will just steal it again. Once the reinforcements have arrived….”

Before he could complete his sentence, there was a violent tremor and a loud crashing sound. “Earthquake?” I exclaimed. Just then, Xiao Pai came running into the clinic, looking terrified.

“Avani!” she cried. “It seems that there is something in the sky! Come quickly to the observation tower, yes?” She turned and ran out again, the four of us close behind.

At the top of the tower, we found Forte focusing on something in the distance to the southwest. “Look, over there!” she shouted as we burst out onto the observation deck. Our eyes followed her gesture, and over the Selphia Plains, we saw what appeared to be an island hovering high in the sky.

“What the hell _is_ that thing?” Dylas exclaimed, his eyes widening.

“I have no idea,” Arthur replied. “I’ve never seen or heard of anything like this before.”

“Impressive. How do they keep something so massive afloat? Truly technology has advanced far beyond anything my people ever dreamed of or imagined,” I reflected in awe.

“Don’t _praise_ them!” Forte snapped at me, her eyes flashing with anger.

“No, he’s right,” Arthur said in his gentle voice. “It _is_ impressive—and terrifying.”

“This must be what he meant when he mentioned the ‘ideal battleground’ and his ‘floating fortress’,” Avani murmured, staring at the monstrosity speculatively.

I looked quickly at her. “Yes, I believe you’re right. And that means….”

“That means that smug bastard is up there waiting for us,” Dylas interrupted, glaring skyward.

Avani shook her head slowly as she quietly corrected him. “Waiting for _me_.”


	32. Chapter 32

As we left the tower, Forte stopped Avani. “Avani, are you ready for this? You know that they’ll attack as soon as you approach. I want you to be sure you’re well-prepared.”

Avani put her hand on the knight’s shoulder, saying with a smile, “Thank you, Forte, for your concern. You’ve trained me well, and I think I’m prepared for whatever they throw at me. I wish you could join me, but I know that you are essential to the defense of the town.”

Forte looked down at the petite warrior as she turned to Arthur, and her usually harsh expression softened. “‘And lo, the student shall become the master, and the master, the student,’” I heard her say in a low voice, speaking as though quoting someone, though I knew not whom. Then she saw me watching her, and she straightened up, turned on her heel, and strode away, once again stern in demeanor.

In the meantime, Arthur was discussing the situation with Avani. I walked up to her and put my arm around her as he was saying, “Well, whether they are attacking the city or not, they nevertheless have invaded our kingdom—the capitol _must_ be warned about this. That must be the first priority; while I would defend Selphia even with my life, nevertheless, I would sooner see the city fall and the kingdom safe than lose everything. So I must report this development to the King immediately.”

“But, Arthur—if they should attack! Can’t you just… drop me off?” she exclaimed, obviously frustrated by the prince’s caution.

“What, on my way to the capitol? No, Avani, I cannot. I will not send you there without the ability to provide you with adequate backup, should you need it.”

She opened her mouth to protest again, but he raised his hand to silence her. “No, there’s no use in further discussion. I’ve heard your arguments, and my mind is made up. I suggest you use this time to recover from your most recent battle and to make whatever preparations you deem necessary. I should only be a day or two—three at the most. When I return, you may launch your attack. But not until then. Is that clear?”

“Yes, _Your Highness_ ,” she hissed through clenched teeth, then with a curt bow, she turned on her heel and stalked back towards the castle. I was surprised that Arthur was so… unperturbed by her insolence.

My face must have betrayed my thoughts, because he smiled when he turned and looked at me, saying, “You’re wondering why I don’t call her out for insubordination. Well, Leon, partly it’s because I’m not as… _imperious_ as most of my kinsmen are, and partly because she really _is_ a fine warrior—though she’d make a terrible soldier. And, too—though I don’t know why I’m inclined to tell you this, under the circumstances—it’s partly because I’m so deeply attracted to her, despite knowing that she sees me as a prince, not as a mere man.”

He turned to look towards the castle, a look of regret on his face. “It’s funny, isn’t it? Most women would be beside themselves to have a prince fall in love with them. But… not _her_.”

I gave him a sympathetic smile. “But then, Avani _isn’t_ most women.”

He sighed and smiled ruefully at me. “No. And, paradoxically, that is what I love most about her.” He shrugged, then turned and walked back to his offices, leaving me staring thoughtfully after him.

* * *

 

I caught up to Avani in her fields a few minutes later. She had very recently expanded her property, and she was clearing her new land with a fury—pulverizing rocks and demolishing tree stumps. I knew the pattern well by now, of course; whenever she was angry or perturbed in spirit, she took out her emotions on inanimate objects. Usually she would hammer away at her forge, but apparently she decided this time to dispel her fury in a more useful manner, rather than simply smashing sword blanks.

I stood leaning against a tree, watching her as she worked out her frustration. Finally, she had cleared the field of every stone or scrap of timber. She flung the last of the dressed stone into her storage bin, then turned back to the bare patch of earth and hurled down her mallet, the force of her throw driving the head deep into the ground. She stood glaring at it, her chest heaving as she panted, gasping for air, wiping sweat from her brow with her grimy arm.

“Feel any better?” I called to her, then quickly sidestepped as she whirled and flung her axe at me, caught off guard and startled. I chuckled as the head of the axe embedded in the tree where I’d been standing a moment before. “As always, My Lady, your reflexes are impeccable. Though your temper perhaps could use a little… well, tempering.” I grinned down at her as I strolled over to her.

“Ahh, Leon! You gave me quite a scare there,” she said, looking past me at the quivering axe handle.

“The feeling is mutual, I assure you,” I replied drily, stroking her hair. “Come on, let’s get cleaned up and get some dinner. My treat?”

“Cleaning up, definitely. But I don’t want to go to Porcoline’s. I’m so mad at Arthur right now, I can hardly see straight—and I sure don’t want to risk running into him at dinner.”

“Hmmm, yes, I see your point. Well, then. How about we go have a bath and a bite to eat at the inn, then return home for some additional refreshments?” I said, running my hand down her back. “After all, that, too, is an excellent way to… expend excess energy.” I leaned down and kissed her, savoring the saltiness of her mouth and neck. She stiffened in surprise at first, then relaxed as she began to respond to my caresses. I knew that by the end of the evening, she would be in a _much_ better mood and no longer angry with the prince.

* * *

 

The following morning, we learned that not only had Arthur left just a couple of hours after his interview with Avani, but also that he’d taken Doug with him to the capitol, to provide the King with as much information as he could regarding the Sechs’ plans. However, Doug suddenly reappeared at the city gates mid-morning, looking worn and disheveled. It seemed that the airship had been attacked en route, and they had barely made it to the capitol in one piece. Arthur himself had been injured, though not seriously, and Doug had likewise sustained some minor injuries as well as reinjuring some of the barely healed wounds from his encounter with Ethelberd. Doug had been sent back to Selphia via magic spells, in order to warn Forte to be extra vigilant, and also to let Avani know that the airship would be delayed an additional few days for repairs.

She chafed at the additional delay, but finally gave in, knowing that there was nothing she could do about it. All in all, our delay last a week. And during that week, there were three noteworthy events.

First, I woke one morning a little later than usual, having been rather active throughout the night. Avani was already gone by then, so I went to grab some breakfast before settling down to work. In the kitchen, I found a covered platter of grilled squid, still warm, a note, and one of her white gauntlets on the counter. I picked up the glove and looked at it curiously, then sat down to eat the squid and read the note. The note said:

> Dear Leo,  
>  This week looks to be rather quiet, so I thought we might play a little game today. You will have already seen one of my gloves that I left with this note. I’m leaving you a hint for a location, where you will find another note and another article of my clothing. Keep following the clues, and eventually you will find me—without all the clothing that I’ve left with each note. I’ll be waiting for you!
> 
> If to its lair your way you make,  
>  These ancient bones will surely wake.
> 
> Nakedly,  
>  Avani

That piqued my interest, to put it mildly. With a broad grin, I picked up the note and strolled out the door. “Easy,” I muttered to myself as I reread the clue. I hopped onto the airship and took off for the revival cave—home of the ancient bone dragon.

As I entered the cave, I grinned—I’d been right. There on a large rock just inside the entrance was another slip of paper, and another white glove rested on top. I picked up the note and tucked the glove in my rucksack. This time I read:

> If a pole and axe you bring,  
>  You may be able to fish this spring.

I thought for a moment, drumming my fingertips on my cheek. After a few minutes of thought, I decided that she must mean either Silver Lake or the winter spring nearby. As I could take the airship to the former, I tried there first. However, a quick search of the lake shore revealed nothing, so I headed across the snowy terrain to the spring.

When I reached the spring, I saw it was indeed the correct location. Nailed to a tree next to the icy pond, I saw another note, and one of her sandals was on the ground below. I tucked the sandal into my sack, then pulled the note down to read it.

> If from spring to Spring you flew,  
>  In a cave, you’d find a clue.

I sat down on a rock by the spring and thought. “Spring to spring… whatever does she mean by that?” I wondered out loud. After several minutes it dawned up me that she had capitalized the second instance of spring. I snapped my fingers as I jumped up. “Sercerezo Hill!” I exclaimed. There were two caves there, I thought as I took off at a run. Chuckling to myself, I thought that she had indeed devised an amusing way to spend the day.

I took the airship to Idra cave first, the larger of the two cave systems in the region. Stepping inside the mouth of the cave, I grinned as I spotted the second sandal and another note:

> Cross a bridge where water’s falling.  
>  Don’t take too long—Avani’s calling!

I smirked to myself, thinking that this was almost—not _quite_ , but almost—as good as foreplay. I had a pretty good idea where the next clue must be. There were only two places I could think of where water might be falling, assuming it wasn’t a terrible pun on the fall season: the water shrine ruins, or the waterfall in Yokmir Forest. And I couldn’t think of anything you might properly call a bridge in the ruins.

I had to fight a few lesser monsters to get to the waterfall, but sure enough, there was a little bundle resting on the center of the bridge spanning the pool of water. I picked it up and found a blouse and another note.

> Thinking of you, I’m getting so hot;  
>  Go deeper and deeper if you want a shot.

I felt a surge of heat course through me reading that, thinking of her slowly stripping away her clothing at each place, neatly folding it to leave with each note…. I shook my head to clear it. Yes, this was indeed an excellent diversion. And perhaps I was hasty when I thought it was not quite as good as foreplay….

There could be only one place that she meant by this note, so I eagerly made my way to the Delirium Lava Ruins. I looked inside the cave opening, but I found nothing. Frowning, I reread the note. “Deeper and deeper…” I mused aloud. On a whim, I tried one of the warp points, taking me to the stairs at the start of the lower level of chambers. Still nothing, so I returned to the beginning and tried the second warp point. That took me to the deepest chamber but one, the chamber just outside the rafflesia’s lair. And sure enough, there on the floor in the center of the cavern was another small bundle. I picked it up, and her skirt unfolded in my hands, still redolent of her delightful fragrances. I felt my skin tingle as I picked up the note and read it.

> Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.  
>  You’re almost to the source of your lust.

I thought that had to be the haunted manor house outside of town, and I figured that in her current state of undress, she wouldn’t be leaving any notes at the back door just above Dragon Lake, on the edge of the village. So I went to the front door of the mansion, and there on the front steps I found a delicate, lacy, turquoise blue bra with a note on top. I picked it up and looked at it—I couldn’t recall seeing it before, but I grinned as I thought that I couldn’t wait to see it on her—not to mention to take it off her. Then I tucked it into my rucksack with her other clothing and read the note.

> Come and search with all your might  
>  Somewhere at the edge of light.

That one stumped me, and the thought that I was so near the end was more than a little distracting as I tried to focus on what she could possibly mean by that. I wondered if she might mean the lights of the town, so I returned to the village and searched all around the perimeter—but to no avail. A tower might be said to be on the edge of light, at least as far as sunrise and sunset went. But the only towers anywhere in the area were the observation tower and the ancient tower of Leon Karnak. I ruled them both out—the observation tower was in town, and I was fairly certain she wouldn’t be running through the streets stark naked. And Leon Karnak was populated by fairly tough monsters—and so far the places she’d sent me had all been either isolated and unpopulated by monsters, or else had only a few very weak monsters.

Then suddenly I recalled a place somewhere between the haunted mansion and Leon Karnak where there was no light—all light there was absorbed by a peculiar ore known as shade stone. I made my way there from the manor house, again fighting a few lesser monsters to reach my goal. It was too dark to see much of anything, even with my enhanced vision. But after a moment, my sensitive nose detected her scent— _our_ scent, the lingering fragrance of last night’s lovemaking. I followed my nose to the source: a slip of silky, lace trimmed fabric into which was tucked a slip of paper. I carried them out to the light and examined them. The fabric was a tiny thong that matched the bra I’d retrieved a short while earlier and that was richly and enticingly scented.

Quivering in anticipation—this _should_ be the final note, giving me the clue I needed to find my lover—I read the words on the slip of paper.

> Sunny sky and soft, warm grass;  
>  Here you’ll find a piece of ___.

Although this could describe nearly any place in the Selphia plains, I had an inkling that she was referring to Keeno Lake, where we had whiled away a _very_ enjoyable day some weeks ago. Making haste, I arrived at the lake and eagerly looked around.

Stretched out on the grass, luxuriating in the warm summer sun, was the object of my search. Lying on her back, one knee bent and her arm thrown over her eyes to block the bright sunlight, her long, pale green hair cascading across the grass around her, she made no acknowledgment of my arrival other than a slowly broadening smile.

Saying nothing myself, I crouched down next to her and leaned over, covering her mouth with mine as I hungrily kissed her. She reached up her arms around my neck, twining her delicate fingers through my hair and running her nails down my spine, making me shiver feverishly. I ran my hands down her sides and across her belly, slowly working my way to her breast. After the hours of anticipation, I couldn’t get enough of her touch, of her taste, of her scent. She was like a feast, and I was starving for her.

Pushing me gently off her, she rose and stood naked before me. She reached down and gently stroked along my jaw line, then dropped her hand to her side as her lips curved into a luscious smile. Leaning slightly forward, she said in a low, husky voice, “There’s just one more thing….”

“Yes, My Lady?” I said, looking up at her, radiant in the sunlight, dizzy with the intensity of my desire for her.

Her smile broadened into a wide grin and her eyes crinkled with mischief, and she cried out, “Escape!”—vanishing from sight in a flash.

* * *

 

I nearly toppled backwards from the shock. Stunned and dazed by this unexpected turn of events, I sat staring at the empty place where she’d been just a moment before, my mouth hanging open. Collecting myself and wondering if this was her way of prolonging the game, I stood and likewise cast Escape, rushing to her suite in the castle. However, there was no sign of her there. As I scanned the room, though, I spotted a parcel on the bed. Hurrying over, I saw that it was a book. It lay open, and my name was scrawled in the margin next to some of the text. I looked more closely and read the line:

> Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Lying underneath the volume of proverbs was a rather familiar-looking pair of silky pink panties.

It took me several minutes, my mind clouded by frustrated lust as it was, to comprehend that Avani had at last taken her promised revenge for that prank I’d pulled at Idra Cave. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the panties and the book. Then I began to chuckle. I laughed and laughed until I fell back on the bed, helpless and gasping for air. I had to admit, she’d really gotten me. And she’d done it so well, so _cleverly_ , I didn’t even mind the frustration _very_ much. But I grinned wolfishly as I thought to myself that I was sure to catch up with her by nightfall—and I intended that I would take my time with her and not give in to her demands any too soon.


	33. Chapter 33

Avani’s revenge was the first of the three notable events that week; the second was a bit more… unsettling. A day or so after our little game, I had gone to check on my foxes and grab some more of my reference materials. Avani had a surprisingly good private library, but it was far from complete, at least for my needs.

When I reached my room, the foxes were, as usual, sleeping on my bed. I first went to gather my books and scrolls, placing them carefully in my rucksack. By the time I’d finished, Sano was awake and Uno was getting there. They gazed up at me, and their expressions were so wistful that I felt a pang of guilt. They weren’t like pets by any means. They were spirits, for one, not monsters. As such, they didn’t require food or drink, though they were capable of consuming either and even enjoyed some flavors—fried tofu was a particular favorite.

Besides not needing food, they also didn’t need the other care that animals generally required, such as grooming. They could manipulate their appearance at will, though there were limitations: they were incapable of entirely shedding their foxy appearance, and they couldn’t make themselves very much larger or smaller than they were in their natural state—slightly larger than a mundane fox. Sano once tried changing himself into human, and the results were rather amusing. He retained his ears and tails, and he was quite small—he looked for all the world like my son.

On the other hand, they were far more intelligent and intuitive than animals typically were. Therefore, they were easily bored, and craved companionship. And I’d been rather neglecting them lately, between current events and my preoccupation with my delightful lover.

Knowing that the pair liked and admired Avani and that she reciprocated their affection, I decided to bring them with me to the castle, at least for a trial period. They knew that she and I were in a relationship—though they always referred to it simply as mating—so I cautioned them that when they sensed that such activities may be about to take place, they should make themselves scarce until we were finished. They seemed puzzled by my request, and Uno asked, “Why is our absence necessary for you to mate with your companion? We do not understand this.”

“Because, unlike monster and animal mating, human relations are normally conducted in privacy. Invading that privacy is a gross violation of human propriety. If you were to do so—if you tried to sneak in and listen or watch—you would at best cause her embarrassment or distress, and at worst provoke her to wrath. I know you both have already fought with her—and she’s grown much stronger and more skillful since then. Besides, I know you two goofballs like her and wouldn’t want to upset her.”

They considered that for a few minutes, then Sano replied, “We still do not understand the need for privacy, but we will respect your wishes in this regard out of consideration for you and your human mate.” Relieved that they had promised to obey—they were a mischievous pair, and far too curious for my own good—I set out for the castle with the two of them trotting behind.

Avani not only approved of my decision, but seemed delighted. I still found it inexplicable that she could see them, converse with them, and even touch them, when no one but me should have been able to do so. I had no explanation for it, but as it didn’t seem to worry the foxes, I shrugged it off for the time being.

After our evening meal, we sat on the sofa before the fire. Avani snuggled up against me, leaning her head on my shoulder as I put my arm around her. I leaned over to kiss her, but just then, Sano and Uno appeared before us.

“We sense increased levels of the chemicals humans refer to as ‘pheromones’. Therefore, we are departing for a time, in accordance with your wishes. We will return when we sense that copulation has concluded.” And with that they vanished, just as I was about to throw a cushion at them while Avani burst out laughing.

A few minutes later, still chuckling, Avani stood up and held out her hand to me. Smiling at me, she pulled me up and put her arms around my neck, pulling me closer for a long, slow kiss. She kissed along my jaw line and down my neck, then whispered, “You know, I’d really hate to waste their efforts on our behalf….”

I looked down at her and grinned, then lifted her up in my arms and carried her to the bed. “That would indeed be a shame, My Lady.”

Later that night as we lay in bed, Avani curled up next to me with her head on my chest and my arm around her shoulders as she slept, the foxes rematerialized into the room. I was just drifting off when they appeared at the foot of the bed, their eyes glowing blue and red in the darkness. I raised a finger to my lips to signal them to be quiet, and they stealthily crept up and settled against Avani’s back for warmth. They curled up with their noses on their paws and sighed in unison as they relaxed. Soon we were all asleep.

* * *

 

I don’t know how much time had passed, but at some point later, I woke to the sound of muffled sobbing. Lighting the lamp next to the bed, I turned and looked to see what was the matter. Avani had rolled over onto her other side, her back to me now, and she was curled around the foxes as they slept, her arm thrown across Sano’s back and her forehead resting against his. Tears trickled from the corners of her tightly-shut eyes, and she shivered in her sleep.

“My Lady?” I called softly, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving her a gentle shake. She mumbled something indiscernible, but she didn’t wake. Her sounds became increasingly distressed, and she curled up into a tighter ball, waking the foxes. “My Lady, are you alright?” I shook her shoulder more firmly.

She convulsed, as though leaping or running, and flung out an arm and screamed. Her eyes flew open, her pupils dilated in shock and terror. She sat up, dazed and confused, blinked a few times, then drew her legs up and hugged her knees, sobbing the word “sundara” repeatedly.

Thoroughly alarmed, I put my arms around her and held her tightly. “Avani, My Lady—shhh, it’s okay, you’re safe here with me,” I murmured soothingly. Sano put his forepaws on her leg and licked her face, whining with concern.

Uno looked over at me, his cyan eyes still glowing slightly in the amber lamplight. “Something has disturbed your mate,” he commented.

“Thank you, I had noticed that,” I replied rather drily.

“I mean that she has dreamed a memory, and this memory distresses her greatly. I do not know more than this.” He sat up and put a paw on her knee. “Lady Avani,” he addressed her, startling me—they never addressed her by name, indeed never addressed _anyone_ by name other than myself and the Native Dragons. “Do not be distressed by your recollections. The past is an immutable road through the present that vanishes into the malleable future. You need not fear it, as you may yet shape your future to whatever form you desire—you need only have the determination to do so.”

She looked at the two foxes, then to my further surprise, she flung her arms around the both of them and hugged them tightly to her, sobbing into Sano’s fur. He looked over at me, saying, “It is fortunate that we are spirits and as such do not breathe. A mortal beast would not fare as well.”

I put my arm around her again and drew closer to her. “My Lady, do you want to tell me about it? What has shaken you so?”

She remained silent for a moment longer, struggling to control her weeping, then she released the foxes and buried her face in my shoulder, throwing her arms around my neck. “Sundara…” she said again, shivering. “He’s… he’s dead, and I couldn’t save him. I tried, Leo, I tried so _hard_ to save him. But I couldn’t… I couldn’t….” And she began to cry again. “He killed Sundara, and I couldn’t stop him.”

“Who killed whom? Who are you talking about?” I asked her.

“I… I don’t know. Whoever it was, I was—I _am_ —so terrified of him that I can’t even picture him, let alone remember his name. But I saw it all—I saw him push Sundara. And I tried to reach him, to pull him up, but he… I couldn’t hold onto him, and he fell. He’s dead, and although I can’t remember why, somehow I know it’s _my_ fault that he’s dead.”

“Shhh, don’t cry. I’m sure whatever happened, you did your best. You mustn’t blame yourself.” I sat and held her, stroking her hair and gently rocking her. She hesitated a minute, then nodded, though tears still trickled down her cheeks.

“Feeling a little better?” She nodded again, her face still buried against my shoulder. “So who was this Sundara that you say was killed?”

She hunched her shoulders up again, tightening her hold around my neck. “My lover,” she whispered.


	34. Chapter 34

“Your… your _what?_ ” I exclaimed, staring at her. Although I had thought that she must have had lovers in her forgotten past, I still found the fact disconcerting when actually confronted with it.

“My lover,” she repeated. “How could I have forgotten him so… so _completely_? I feel sick about it—that I could have just moved on like that.”

“So… he meant a lot to you, then?” I asked, feeling the early pangs of jealousy stirring in my chest even though.

“Yes… yes, I think he did. I… I wish I could remember more. I know that we weren’t supposed to be together, but I don’t know why. I know he was killed, but I don’t know why or by whom. I don’t remember meeting him… but at least now I can remember his touch and his kisses… and _him_.”

I held very still, almost afraid to move—afraid of what her next words might be. Uno looked up at me, then crept over and rested his chin on my knee. In my head, I heard him say, “Be at ease. Avani loves _you_ , Leon.”

I smiled gratefully at the fox, then stroking her hair, I said in a low voice, “Why don’t you tell me about him? Talking will help the memories take root, so you’re less likely to forget again. And it sounds as though these memories are too important to you to let them slip away again.”

She looked quickly up at me, surprised by my suggestion, then leaned her head against me for a moment. She slid over my thigh and sat between my legs, and pulled my arms around her as she leaned her back against my stomach. I rested my cheek against her hair as I held her tightly, and I waited.

“Like I said, I don’t remember how we happened to meet. I only have little fragments of memory—a few events. I can remember the first time he said he loved me… the first time we kissed… the first time we made love. But… not how we met.” She paused and sighed.

“Perhaps you don’t remember because you’d known each other since you were very young?” I suggested.

“Maybe. I just don’t know.” She sighed regretfully before continuing. “He was a beautiful man, tall and straight and strong, with long, deep green hair like the cedar forests and eyes like the night sky—dark and full of stars. I don’t recall his vocation, but I do remember he played a sort of a harp-like instrument, I think it was called a sur-mandal. His was exceptionally beautiful, I seem to remember, painted like a… like a peacock’s feather,” she said glancing at my fan lying on the bedside table and smiling. “He played it very well, though like I said, I don’t remember if he was a musician by profession or not. He had a beautiful voice, soft and sweet. He himself was a very gentle, kind man. If he hadn’t been so gentle… maybe he wouldn’t have died.” Her voice sounded a little strained, as if choked with tears.

After a moment, she went on. “He… I don’t remember much about how he died. I think I lived in the mountains somewhere. Not like the ones around here, though—my impression is of heat and humidity, and vivid green, lush growth. Anyway, I think we’d been walking in the woods in the mountains, and someone found us. We weren’t supposed to see each other, I think, and the person that found us was… was infuriated. They fought, but Sundara wasn’t a fighter, and the other man… he pushed him, near the edge of a precipice. He slipped and fell…. I tried to reach him—I ran and threw myself down to grab him…. I caught his hand, but I didn’t have a good enough hold on him, and I wasn’t strong enough. The man that pushed him refused to help, though I can remembering begging him. And then… and then he slipped from my hand….” She put her head down and began to sob again.

I sat and held her tightly in my arms, and let her cry herself out. After a time, her sobbing slowed and gradually subsided. She wiped the back of her hand across her eyes and leaned into me. With a sigh, she said, “I remember now, too, that I tried to follow—tried to leap after him. But that man grabbed me and hauled me back, and he wouldn’t let me go. I _think_ he threatened me… but I can’t remember much that has to do with him. Whenever I think of him, I’m filled with such terror, I freeze. I don’t know who he was or what kind of hold he had on me, but he terrifies me even now—even though I don’t know where he is or even if he’s alive or dead.”

We sat in silence for a little while, each with our own thoughts. Then Avani stirred and said, “I wonder why all this came back? And why only fragments? There’s still so much I don’t remember.”

Sano perked up and looked at her, then he sat up and said, “We suspect that the return of your memories is due to our presence, Lady Avani.”

She looked startled, and said, “What? How?”

“We are not certain how, but we belong to the spirit world. We believe that somehow we are acting as a catalyst for the return of your memories. There is a seal…”

“A seal?” I said sharply, scowling.

“Yes, a seal, on your mind—like a locked door to a room in which all your memories are stored. And we think that when you dream while in close proximity with us, somehow you connect with us in the spirit realm, and as a result of that brief connection, your memories are able to… leak out. The other time you had dreams of your past was also while we slept in your bed with you, was it not?”

She frowned in thought. “Yes, it was—after I was caught in that explosion. I thought it was from my injury, but….”

“How would that even work?” I asked.

“As we said, we don’t understand the mechanism. This is all conjecture, of course, and we may be mistaken. But both times we felt her presence as she dreamt.”

“So you think that if she dreamed while sleeping very close to you, she might eventually regain all of her memories?”

“That is a possibility, yes. We do not know the nature of this seal that is upon her; we have not seen its like before.”

I looked at her. “Well, My Lady. Here is a chance to regain at least some of your memory. Do you wish to try it?”

She shivered and leaned into me. “I-I’ll have to think about it. I know there’s _something_ in there that scares the daylights out of me, and I don’t know when… or even if… I’ll be ready to confront it.”

The foxes both walked across the bed and sat side by side before her. “Lady Avani, we are willing to assist you if you so desire,” Uno began.

“But we cannot predict the success or failure of such an experiment,” Sano added.

“Therefore, until such time as you are ready…”

“We will withdraw from your presence when you sleep…”

“In order to prevent undesirable consequences.”

Then in unison, the two said, “We will respect and honor your wishes, as we respect and honor you, our Lady Avani.” Then they bowed their heads to her and vanished.

“What in the…” Avani said, looking up at me in bewilderment. “Why… why do I feel as though I just received obeisance from a pair of princes?”

I gave her a half smile. “Perhaps,” I said thoughtfully, “because you did.”

* * *

 

The final, and perhaps most memorable, event of that week began very shortly after Avani’s dream. I’d decided to take a day to go hunt down some reagents that I had run low on and to take my foxes out for some fresh air and exercise. I especially needed some Chimera claws, and the only place to get them was in the ruins of the old water shrine. I’d just cleared out a couple of rooms when I decided to stop for lunch. As I was sitting among the fallen, crumbled pillars, eating a sandwich, I heard voices. Pricking my ears, I discerned Avani’s voice approaching. I stood to hail them as they approached, but Uno suddenly appeared before me. “Leon, you may wish to withdraw and with haste.”

Startled, I looked at him. “Oh? Why is that?”

“Do you recall telling us that it is considered a gross violation of human propriety to intrude during the act of human copulation?”

“Well, yes, but….” I drew my brows together. They _couldn’t_ mean….

“We do not know which portions of the act are taboo and which are not, of course. But I can tell you that approaching us now is the Lady and a man who clearly wishes to mate with her.”

“ _What_? You mean, they’re…”

“So far, we only sense that desire from the male, not from the female. But we assume it is only a matter of time before she becomes receptive to his advances, assuming that he performs whatever pre-courtship rituals must be observed correctly.”

I felt an oddly overwhelming relief, and smiled weakly down at the fox. “I see. Well, of course, I’m sure there are plenty of men out there who, err, wish to mate with her. That doesn’t mean that she’ll respond, though. And it’s only the actual acts of intimacy that should be given privacy, not anytime when the mere potential exists.” I looked around, seeing no way to slip away discreetly. “Still, I certainly don’t want to eavesdrop. But I don’t see any way out of here that won’t draw their attention, and casting Escape will make too much commotion. I’ll have to just take cover and hope they’re only passing through.”

The foxes vanished, and I ducked down behind some pillars in the corner of the room. A moment later, I could hear them clearly enough to make out their words as they drew nearer and nearer. The wind blew the scent of horse hair and leather in addition to Avani’s various scents to me, and I confirmed my suspicion as to who her companion was.

“I told you, didn’t I? We just aren’t compatible! You’re just too stubborn to see it!” I heard Avani exclaim.

“Me? _You’re_ the stubborn one! You know you can’t trust those fortune tellers—they’re just a bunch of crooks!”

“You’re only saying that because he said what everyone else already knows—that we aren’t suited for each other! If he’d said we were a perfect match, I bet you’d be singing a different tune!”

Dylas snorted. “As if! Who cares what anyone else says, anyway?” Their footsteps stopped—right in the middle of the room where I crouched, hidden from sight, half hoping they’d leave, and half hoping they wouldn’t.

“Listen, Avani. I-I don’t know how to say things all nice and pretty. I’m sorry, I’m just not good at things like that. But… I… I…. Augh! Dammit, I _love_ you, Avani! There, I said it—I love you, and I want you back. I can’t tell you how much I miss you. The nights are the worst. I dream about you all night—about holding you in my arms, about the way you’d kiss me. I can almost feel your hands on me… how soft your skin is… the way you smell when you get all worked up. Those little sounds you’d make when you were coming that would drive me right over the edge. The way you’d dig your nails into my back and call out my name. It… it gets so I can hardly stand it—but at the same time, I want the dreams to go on and on, even when they’re nothing but torture, because they’re all I have left of you. I don’t even care anymore that you… that you’re sleeping with Leon now. I just… I just want you, even if it means sharing you.”

By now I knew my foxes had been correct—Dylas’s pheromones were so potent that I felt slightly ill from them. I half expected them to take a tangible form—a creature born of his desperate need for his former lover. I knew that it was really just a matter of time before she took him back. I didn’t like the idea at all, but… since I refused to commit to her, to both give myself entirely to her and to claim her as mine and mine alone, I really had no right to interfere in her affairs. I put my head in my hands and sat as still as I could, wishing that they would just leave and go about their business. The thought that they might actually do so right there, while I sat hidden within sight and sound and scent, filled me with a sudden horror, but I convinced myself that she wouldn’t do anything like that without giving me fair warning. She was scrupulously honest and would never deign to deceive another.

I realized that it had been some time since either had last spoken, so I ventured a look, moving as silently as possible. However, they were still there—Dylas had Avani in his arms and was kissing her with all the pent-up frustration of the past several weeks. I ducked back down and waited; a moment later I heard a loud smack of leather on skin and smiled slightly to myself. Dylas must have tried something that she didn’t like. Then light footsteps running away, a shout from Dylas, and heavier, slower footsteps giving chase. And I was alone once again.

* * *

 

I’d lost any interest in my original project, so I returned to Avani’s rooms. Looking around, I was keenly, painfully aware that she would soon ask me to return to my old room at the inn. I felt my chest constrict, and my heart felt heavy. I turned and walked out the back door and over to the inn. I paid Lin for a bath and a bottle of wine and went on in. She brought the wine in to me once I was in the bath, so I sat and soaked in the hot water, sipping wine and thinking back over the time that had passed since I’d met Avani as I proceeded to get pleasantly drunk.

Apparently Xiao became concerned about my condition, and she went to get Avani at some point after I was clearly intoxicated. However, I refused to get out of the bath, loudly insisting I wanted another bottle of wine. So Lin temporarily closed the bathhouse, and Avani came in to get me. She patiently helped me dry off and dress, then walked me back home. She cooked some grilled mackerel for me, despite my clumsy and poorly-timed advances. Somehow she got me fed, then sat me down and just looked at me, until I started to feel very uncomfortable in spite of the numbing haze that enveloped me.

After several minutes of just staring into my eyes, she finally said, “What’s up, Leo? This isn’t like you at all. Is there something on your mind?”

I just looked at her for a minute, then I put my arms around her and pulled her closer to me and rested my cheek against her hair. I sighed, and said, “I… I can’t hold onto you… but… I also don’t want to let you go.”

“Go? Go where? I don’t understand.”

I pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I was there this afternoon.”

Realizing what I meant, she blushed and looked away. “I… I see. I didn’t think you were the sort to eavesdrop, Leo.”

“Wasn’t on purpose. I was there minding my own business, just eating my lunch when you showed up. The foxes… they warned me, said Dylas wanted to… to “mate” with you. There wasn’t anywhere to get away, so I ducked out of sight, hoping you were just passing through. But you weren’t—you stayed. And I was stuck there, listening to him begging….”

“Oh, Leo….”

“No, it’s okay. I knew it would happen sooner or later.” I stood up, still wobbling. “So how soon do you want me to leave? And are you… are we…?” I couldn’t bring myself to finish my sentence.

She stood up and put her arms around me, resting her cheek against my chest. “For now, nothing’s _really_ changing, Leo, that is, unless _you_ want it to. It’s true that Dylas wants me back—as you heard. And it’s true that I’ve decided to take him back. We’ll… we’ll figure out some arrangement. But I don’t want you to leave. When Dylas and I become lovers again, I don’t intend to kick you out, although there may be times that I ask you for… well, for some privacy. But as far as I’m concerned, this is your home now, as long as you care to stay with me.”

“But… but why would you _want_ to stay with me, knowing I can’t commit to you? I’m pretty sure no matter what he thought about marriage and stuff before, Dylas would be _thrilled_ to marry you and settle down with you _now_. So… why?”

She lightly cuffed me across the top of my head as she gave me an exasperated look. “Because I happen to love you, you dolt!” Then she pulled me down to her and demonstrated just exactly how she felt about me in terms that any man could understand—whether drunk or sober.

* * *

 

The next day, I spent several hours searching for those reagents that I’d started to look for the previous day. Upon my return, I disembarked from the airship and headed down the stairs to Avani’s back door, thinking over what I’d acquired and what I still needed to obtain and wondering if Arthur might have anything of use. As I approached the back door, I stopped and listened, my ears swiveling. From inside, I heard distinct—very distinct, and very familiar—noises, despite the heavy door and thick walls. I blanched slightly, as I realized that Dylas was indeed back in Avani’s favor—vigorously so, from the sound of it. I waited until the noises ceased, then steeled myself to behave as nonchalantly as possibly as I opened the door and walked in.

Sure enough, there in Avani’s bed was Dylas, lying on his back, glistening with sweat and a satisfied grin spreading from ear to ear as he gasped for air. Sprawled across him, equally drenched and spent, was Avani, her pale green hair damp and disheveled as she lay with her cheek on his chest, trying to catch her breath. Dylas’s arms were loosely wrapped around her as they lay naked and exposed. My nose twitched at the fresh, pungent scent of their sex— _that_ was going to take some getting used to.

Such was their exhaustion, that when they heard me enter the room, neither managed to do more than just lie there staring at me, moving only enough to turn their heads towards me. I stood at the edge of the bed and stroked her damp hair, then looked down at Dylas. With a smile, I said, “Well, it looks like you’re back in the saddle again!”

Then I quickly darted upstairs to the study as Dylas shouted after me, “I am _not_ a fucking _horse_ , dammit!”


	35. Chapter 35

At the end of the week, Arthur returned on the newly-repaired airship, mostly recovered from his injuries. He had made his report to his father, the King, and received assurances that reinforcements would be sent to Selphia posthaste. Furthermore, an honor guard was to be assembled to protect the sole rune sphere as well as the remaining rune spheres upon their recovery. The king was deeply disturbed by these incursions by the Sechs Empire—even going so far as to attack his own son—and I heard a rumor that he was most grim in aspect afterwards as he gave the orders for soldiers to be carefully selected for these duties.

After his return, the prince immediately called a meeting with both Avani and Forte, to fill them in on the situation and to receive their reports. Dylas and I, as Avani’s comrades-in-arms, were also present at the meeting. During his absence, the floating fortress had neither approached nor attacked the town. However, Dylas swore that sometimes he saw small objects flying to or from the fortress—larger than birds, he said, but too small to be _manned_ aircraft. Arthur looked thoughtful at that report, and I wondered if he, like I, suspected that they were spies.

He reassured Forte that she would have full authority—by command of the King—over the reinforcements soon to arrive in Selphia, regardless of rank. Then he turned to Avani, and without his customary smile, he gave her a long, steady look. She lifted her head slightly and sat a little straighter as she met Arthur’s gaze, proud and staunch in her devotion to her adopted home, yet refusing to grovel for anyone—man or beast, male or female, royal or common. They stared at each other for a full five minutes, without blinking or wavering, then his gaze suddenly softened and he smiled. Avani blinked in surprise, then sat back and waited for him to speak.

“Have you spent your time wisely in my absence, preparing yourself for the battle that is yet to come? Are you ready to depart in search of your quarry?”

“I am, Your Highness” she replied simply and certainly—and without sarcasm, this time.

“Then go and equip yourselves. The airship departs in one hour.”

She jumped up and quickly knelt before him on one knee, clasping his hand. “Thank you, Arthur. I will not fail you, nor Venti.”

Gently he lifted her up, then to everyone’s surprise, _he_ knelt before _her_ and gently kissed her hand ere he rose. He smiled down at her, a tender look in his eyes, then placing his hands on her shoulders, he said softly, “I know you won’t. I’m counting on it.” Then he turned away from her, signaling our dismissal.

We hastened back to the castle to fetch our weapons and armor, as well as a few supplies. After we donned our armor, we stuffed the supplies in our rucksacks, secured our weapons, and hurried to the airship, where Arthur awaited us. As soon as we had boarded the ship, he signaled to the dockhands to release the guy-wires, and we were off to the Emperor’s aerial fortress, soaring on the winds to meet our doom or his.

* * *

 

The fortress had appeared massive when we viewed it from the observation tower, but as we approached it, we realized that our distant glimpse had not provided us with an accurate sense of its true scale. It looked like a cluster of four islands surrounding a central island, but as we drew nearer, I could see that three of the four outer islands were actually formed of a series of large, interconnected platforms. The fourth island was farther removed from the central island, and elevated well above the others. From its grand and imposing architecture, as well as its removal from the rest of the construct, I surmised that must be the inner sanctum of Ethelberd’s stronghold.

Staring at the fortress as we approached it, Arthur exclaimed in wonder, “It’s… it’s huge. Much larger than I had imagined. How can they keep something so massive stable, floating in the air like that? It’s awe-inspiring… and more than a little terrifying, I must confess.”

Avani nodded her head, then suddenly she drew her swords, shouting, “Look out!” as a small green dragon dropped from the sky, landing heavily on the deck. With a piercing cry, it reared up, spreading its wings in challenge. Dylas crouched, preparing to leap, and I raised my spear, twirling it in my hand to balance my grip.

“Arthur, just keep on piloting the ship—we’ll take care of any distractions!” she shouted up to him as she charged, slashing at it with her swords. Within moments, the membranes of its wings were torn to useless shreds and it threw its huge head back, keening in pain.

“I’ll handle the ship, but be sure you don’t get knocked off! It’s a long ways down!” Arthur called.

Avani raised a hand in acknowledgement, shouting “So I remember!”, as she spun around to face our opponent. I dove in, my spear leveled at its side, just as Dylas leaped up in the air, coming down with a mighty kick onto the monster’s serpentine neck, crushing it beneath his heavy boots just as I impaled it.

“Look out! Reinforcements!” Arthur shouted as the dragon vanished in a pillar of light, and just then another young dragon landed heavily on the deck, followed by two aerial combat automatons that immediately began firing on us. I whirled and swiped at the second dragon with my spear just as it lunged forward with a sweep of its wing claws, hissing in rage. The point of my weapon connected with its claw, and I drove into it as it bore down to crush me under its weight, forcing it to stagger back.

Dylas dropped below its flailing wings and rolled beneath one of the hover soldiers, delivering a powerful wheel kick from below as he did so. The soldier, its stabilizers damaged, spun off drunkenly before crashing into the mast. Avani likewise ducked beneath a spray of projectiles shot by the second soldier, hastily swapping her dual swards for her massive longsword as the bullets flew over her head, then she sprang up and lunged at it, her sword held high before she crashed it down on top of the soldier, cleaving it in two with one mighty blow.

As the small dragon recovered and prepared to lunge forward again, I cast an earth wheel, shooting out a spiral of rocky spikes up all around it. Impaled on no fewer than three of the jagged protrusions, the dragon screamed, lashing its tail in impotent fury as it departed our world.

“There’s more coming!” Arthur shouted as a pair of dragons and another automaton appeared. Dylas repeated his wheel kick maneuver on this soldier, sending it flying, as I summoned another spiral of stone spikes. Avani quickly switched back to her dual swords and dove in, slashing at the second dragon’s wings and neck. She whirled around it, a dervish of destruction, her swords a blur of motion and light. The battered robot, meanwhile, slowly rose from where it had crashed near the first, hovering unsteadily as it scanned for targets. Dylas strode up to it, then as it turned and homed in on him, he crashed his fist down onto its top, smashing it to pieces.

As the automaton fell in pieces to the deck, the dragon Avani fought lunged forward at her, snapping its jaws, its wings stretched out to either side—bloody, ragged, and completely useless. Avani somersaulted away from its teeth, grimacing as it blasted its hot, sulfurous breath over her. She gathered herself and leapt, diving at its neck as it lay hissing and snapping, unable to rise again without the use of its wings. She battered its thick hide with her swords, using her momentum to slash through its natural armor and sever its spine. A scream of agony was choked off as its life abruptly ended, and it vanished from sight, leaving only a sulfur-stained fang to mark its passing.

In the meantime, the dragon before me had reared back, narrowly dodging the spikes of rock that had shot up from the deck all around it. It lowered its head and hissed, narrowing its eyes and flicking its tongue, tasting my scent in the air. This dragon was the largest of the five so far, and it appeared more cunning than the others, as well. I lowered my spear and charged, but it flung itself out of my path with surprising agility, then spun around, whipping its massive tail into me. The impact flung me back, and I felt myself teetering on the edge of the deck. I slipped, and then I heard Avani scream as I fell backwards into empty air.


	36. Chapter 36

I fell backwards into nothingness, plummeting earthwards. In that moment, the scales fell from my eyes, and I realized the depths of my feelings for Avani. A wrenching pain tore my heart asunder, knowing I would never have the chance to tell her of my discovery, nor to live out my days in her company. A cry of anguish escaped my lips… only to be cut short as I jolted to a stop. Looking up, I saw Avani, flung halfway over the edge of the deck, her hand gripping my arm. Her face contorted as she struggled to maintain her grip and her balance, scrambling to find purchase even while trying to pull me up. Slowly but steadily, she dragged me upwards until she was able to reach me with her other hand.

Gripping me with both of her hands, she strained back until at last I was able to reach my free hand to the edge of the gangplank. She gave a last mighty heave and fell backwards across the deck, with me sprawled across her, panting and breathless. With a stifled sob, she flung her arms around me, kissing me all over my face and neck as she gasped for air. “I… I thought I’d lost you, too,” she sobbed into my neck in a strangled voice.

“Well,” I said, still breathless with sheer relief and the intoxicating joy of living, “thanks to you, it looks like you’ll have to put up with me for a while longer.” She choked, laughing and crying as she hugged me tightly.

“Hey, you two—a little help over here?” Dylas shouted from across the deck.

We scrambled to our feet, and I retrieved my spear from the deck where it had fallen as Avani dove to pick up her swords, lying where she’d flung them in her haste to reach me. As she grabbed them, the dragon spun to knock her down with its tail. She jumped straight up in the air, did a back flip mid-air, and landed on the monsters back between its wings. As the dragon reared up, screeching and snapping its jaws while writhing to shake her from its back, she drove her swords into the tender spot between its wings and held on. As Dylas leapt to rain blows on one of the creature’s flanks and I charged with my spear leveled at the other, Avani unsheathed her massive sword. With a loud shout, she raised the sword high above her head and brought the blade crashing down on the monster’s neck, severing its head. With a final scream, it vanished, flinging Avani backwards as her dual blades clattered to the deck.

“You three are incredible!” Arthur called from the airship’s helm. “You took on and defeated a small army!”

Dylas wiped the sweat from his brow and looked up at the prince with a savage grin. “Yeah, well, I have a feeling that this fight will seem like a piece of cake compared to what’s coming. But whatever that bastard has in store for us… bring it on!”

“Then brace yourselves,” Arthur called with a hearty laugh, “we’re nearly there. I’m going to pick up speed!” With a jolt, the airship accelerated, speeding towards the fortress ahead. As we approached, I saw a single small platform connected by a short bridge to the main island. It looked as though it might have been used for cargo drops, but whatever its intended purpose, it had one outstanding feature: it was unguarded.

“Look, down below—there are no soldiers within sight of that platform. I’m going to drop you off there, so get ready!” Arthur shouted to us. We slung our packs over our shoulders and again secured our weapons, then crouched near the gangplank to wait for the signal. When he’d maneuvered as close to the platform as he dared, he called out to us, “Now’s your chance! The Native Dragons protect you!”

Avani held her hand up in farewell, shouting, “Leave it to us, Arthur! Take care of the town while I’m away!” With that, she gave him an impudent wink, and we leaped off the deck.

* * *

 

We landed on the empty platform in unison, the impact causing the floating quay to shudder. Avani unsheathed her dual blades, saying, “Okay, you two. We’ve no idea what may lie ahead, so be ready for anything and everything.” Dylas and I armed ourselves and followed as she cautiously proceeded across the connecting bridge.

There was no sign of life on the central island—nothing but crates piled carelessly on the cobblestones. There were no guards, no monsters, not even a bird or an insect—it was completely barren. Upon further exploration, we found what must be the bridge to Ethelberd’s inner sanctum at the north end. The bridge was barred, however, by three massive stone barriers. Knowing his devious mind, we had no doubt that the keys to open each barrier were hidden somewhere on the three outer islands.

In the south of the central island, adjacent to the platform where we had dropped from the airship, was a bridge, and it was there that Avani first led us. The terrain on this island simulated someplace far more southerly, I thought—warm and humid with abundant plant life. The first monster we encountered was one that I had not seen for a very, very long time—indeed, only once in my life. A massive bird with brilliant violet plumage rose up before us. With an indignant screech, it blasted us with a powerful wind from its huge wings, forcing us away from it. Soaring up out of reach of our weapons, it shot lightning down upon us, forcing us to scatter from its path. Dylas took shelter behind a tree, while Avani and I crouched behind an adjacent vine-covered stump.

“What the hell _is_ that?”Dylas hissed, watching its flight path to try to determine where it would next strike.

“It’s a—” I started to reply, but Avani interrupted me.

“It’s a thunderbird,” she said with wonder in her voice.

I turned and looked at her in surprise. “That’s right. They’re not indigenous to this region, though. The only reason _I_ know what they are is because I once saw one at a carnival when I was just a boy. The carnival’s beastmaster said they were a tropical bird, found only in the southern regions of this continent and the tropical islands in the southern seas. So now I’m curious—how did _you_ know what it was?”

She looked at me, baffled. “I… I don’t know. It just came to me. I don’t remember ever even seeing one before.”

There was no time for further discussion, however, as the giant bird wheeled and swooped down at us. I stood up, holding my spear at the ready as it dove at me, shrieking its defiance as it readied its claws to rend or grasp whatever they could. When it was near enough that its scream was deafening to my ears and the metallic stench of its electrically charged feathers filled my nostrils, I hove my spear upwards. Its momentum impaled it upon my spearhead, nearly knocking me backwards even as it vanished from sight, leaving only scorch marks near the top of my spear and a faint crackling of electricity in the air.

We continued through the convoluted collection of platforms that comprised this island, fighting more thunderbirds as well as huge tortoises with black spiked shells, small green dragons, pepper ghosts, airborne automatons, and a few wildcats similar to the palm cats native to the Autumn Road but far stronger and more aggressive.

We stopped after clearing out several platforms, exhausted, hungry, and in need of healing. Dylas pulled some containers of food from his pack while Avani healed my injuries. Then she healed Dylas, and I healed her. Afterwards, we sat leaning against the trunks of a cluster of chinquapin trees, eating the food that Dylas had unpacked: a sort of a pilaf made of assorted grains and vegetables and topped with a thick vegetable stew, and dense curry-filled buns. While not my preferred sort of food, it was nutritious and portable. We chose not to take the time to build a fire, so we ate our meal unheated. As soon as we were done, we packed up and continued on our way.

* * *

 

Eventually we came to a platform near the southernmost edge of the island. Before us was an ornate gateway leading to another bridge, the only path remaining to us. We felt certain that if there was a key hidden away on this island, it would be found there—along with whatever guardian Ethelberd had selected to protect it.

Avani stood contemplating it, chewing a handful trail mix for a quick energy boost before continuing onwards. “What do you think he’s got guarding the key?” Dylas asked, offering me the container and grabbing a handful of the nut and dried fruit mixture for himself before packing it away.

She shrugged. “Who knows? I’m sure he didn’t pick anything especially cute or cuddly, though.”

I snorted as I finished my handful of trail mix. Despite our break earlier, we were all tired from hours of combat under grueling conditions—fighting in the heat and humidity was altogether different from fighting in the more temperate climate to which we were all accustomed, and we felt drained by the experience.

“Well, no point in just standing around here. Let’s do this!” Avani exclaimed, drawing her weapons and charging through the gate and over the bridge beyond. A smaller platform on the far side held only a small switch that activated a warp point, and another bridge led south. We crossed that bridge and found ourselves on the edge of a huge platform.

Waiting in the center of the platform was a massive unmanned tank, made of some extraordinarily smooth metal. Its turret spun around as we charged onto the platform, locking in on us. It fired a volley of small plasma projectiles towards us, and the battle commenced.

Avani leaped to one side, I dove to the other, and Dylas sprang up in the air, landing on top of the turret. The tank shuddered from the impact of his landing, and it began to spin as it attempted to dislodge him. I cast a flame wheel at it, but it barely even blackened the finish. Meanwhile, Avani swapped her dual swords for her fire-imbued longsword. She ducked down and rolled as the tank spun towards her, releasing a volley of large spheres of electrical energy as it rotated. I dove out of its path just as Dylas delivered a strong kick to the top of the turret.

Landing in a crouch, I cast an earth wheel at it as it fired another volley of small projectiles. The spikes of rock rose up all around it, damaging its treads and trapping it temporarily. Avani took advantage of its immobility and charged at it, her blade leveled towards the weak point—the turret ring, where the turret joined the hull. Dylas leaped down and out of her way, landing next to me.

Her flash strike attack was a powerful attack that blasted away all that lay in her path; she flew at the tank, and when she connected, she shattered the ring, rendering the turret inoperable. Dylas stood up as she leaped out of the way and, to my great surprise, cast a dark ball at it. The small sphere of concentrated dark magic slowly wend its way around the tank, devouring all that it touched. I looked over at him in amazement. “Hey, not bad! When did you learn to do that?”

He glanced over at me with a half smile. “I’ve had a lot of free time recently,” he replied drily. I chuckled and rose to stand next to him. Raising my hands in front of me, I cast a water column wheel, then pulling out my spear, I leveled it and charged at the tank, darting between the powerful jets of water. I drove my spear into a slight fracture in side of the tank just as Avani came crashing down from above, smashing into the hull with all her might. Together, we breached the hull and dove out of the way while Dylas cast his signature electrical attack upon it.

Its armor compromised, the tank was now vulnerable to the magical attack. Electricity crackled all around it, entering the interior of the tank. As the three of us dove for cover, the tank began to spark and snap. A moment later, it exploded, and a shower of burning debris rained down all around us. When we rose from our cover, the tank was gone—only a few small parts lay unscathed on the ground.

Avani took a look around and saw another bridge to the south, and with a weary sigh of exhaustion, she headed for it. “Come on, guys—that damned key has to be around here somewhere!” Muttering things not at all ladylike under her breath, she strode across the bridge to the next platform.

The platform was empty, other than a few stacked crates—and a single color-coded lever in the far corner. Her eyes lit up as she exclaimed “Ahh, I think we’ve found it!” She walked over to it, drawing her sword as a precaution, and pulled the lever. A distant rumble was followed a moment later by a shuddering tremor that traveled through the platform, and we ran back to the warp point. That returned us to the first platform on this island, adjacent to the central island. We ran along across the island to the barricaded bridge, and sure enough—one of the barriers was gone.

One down, two to go.


	37. Chapter 37

Avani turned and looked towards the eastern island. “We should head there next,” she mused. “But not tonight, I think. I don’t know about you two, but I’m all in. Let’s go home, get something to eat, and get a good night’s rest. We’ll return in the morning and tackle the next obstacle.”

“What about the guards? Not that I _mind_ fighting them, but it’ll slow us down a lot if we have to go through a major fight every time we take the airship there,” Dylas said dubiously.

Avani shook her head. “I don’t think that will be a problem. We just wiped out a hefty percentage of their troops—they’ll be scrambling to replace them and won’t have the resources to mount aerial attacks on approaching ships. Maybe if we waited a few days, but overnight won’t given them enough time to be a problem. Even if they summon gates to call forth monsters, there’s still not enough time to get them in place by morning.”

“Sounds logical,” I commented. “We’ll find out in the morning if it holds true.”

* * *

 

Moments after we appeared in Avani’s rooms, Clorica came knocking on the door. I’d already shed my armor while Avani and Dylas were still struggling with theirs, so I answered it. She looked up at me, blushing a little at the sight of my bare chest, and said, “Oh! Excuse me, Mr. Leon, sir...”

“Just Leon is fine, Clorica. What’s up?”

“O-okay, Mr.—I mean, Leon. I wondered if you three would like something to eat? You see, I made a big pot of stew, in case you were hungry when you returned….”

“Did someone say _stew_?” Avani called, wriggling out of her mail shirt and bounding over eagerly, peering at Clorica from below my arm as I held the door open. “Clorica, you’re a godsend! I’m so hungry, I could eat a dragon, scales and all!”

Clorica giggled, replying, “Then please wait here, and I’ll be back shortly with some food for you. Oh, and if you would care to change out of your dirty things, I’ll see to it that they’re clean and dry by morning.” Then she turned and hurried happily away.

I looked down at Avani, who was nestled up against me and grinning so ecstatically at the thought of a hot meal, I couldn’t help but smile myself. I closed the door and we returned to where Dylas was removing his boots. We finished removing our armor, and following Clorica’s suggestion, we changed out of our dirty clothing and into pyjamas. Avani had purchased a few pairs of boxers and a robe similar in cut to the ones Dylas and I favored, only much smaller and a different color—Dylas’s were dark blue and mine were tan, but she’d had hers made in a bright blue-green color that complimented her pale green hair.

Dylas looked disparagingly at her choice of clothing, saying, “What happened to all your pretty nightgowns? You look like a boy in those!”

She looked at him, one eyebrow raised, saying somewhat disdainfully, “Oh, _really_? Like a boy? Funny, I would have thought my _breasts_ were a dead giveaway.”

I laughed as Dylas turned crimson. “Don’t mind him, Avani,” I said, still chuckling. “You look adorable, as always.” Then it was her turn to blush, making me laugh again.

Just then, Clorica knocked on the door. She walked in bearing a large tray of food, and Vishnal followed with a second tray. There were three deep bowls of piping hot stew, plus a large tureen containing still more stew. A loaf of bread, a crock of butter, a large pitcher of foamy ale, and three slices of still-hot apple pie rounded out the meal.

The butlers gathered up our dirty clothing and left us to our meal, smiling in acknowledgment of our gratitude. I had to confess, it was far more delicious than I’d hoped. She was certainly a better cook than Vishnal— _far_ better—perhaps almost as good as Dylas, judging from the samples before us.

A while later, Clorica returned to gather up the dishes. We thanked her wholeheartedly and complimented her cooking until her cheeks looked as if they might catch fire, they were so rosy. “I-I wanted to do something, _anything_ , to help you, you know. And this is what I do best,” she replied shyly. As she departed, she let us know that our clothes was now drying before the great kitchen hearth, and that she’d have Vishnal bring them with him when he came to wake her.

"That reminds me," Dylas said, giving Avani a covetous look, "which one of us gets to stay with you tonight?" I narrowed my eyes at him fleetingly before carefully schooling my features back into my customary carefree expression.

Avani grabbed her hairbrush and began to brush out her long hair. “Oh gods, Dylas, I don’t care. You can both stay. Or go. Whatever. I’m much too exhausted to do anything except sleep anyway, so do as you like, as long as you just let me _sleep_.” She tossed the brush back onto her bedside table, hung up her robe and climbed wearily into her bed. She was asleep just a moment later.

I looked at Dylas, who glared back at me. I shrugged, saying, “Well, I don’t know about you, but _I’m_ not planning on sleeping alone tonight. Good night.” I hung my robe up, too, and climbed into bed next to her, spooning up to her and putting my arm around her. Even though she was already sound asleep, she smiled and snuggled against me. I could sense Dylas fuming behind me, and a moment later he climbed in on her other side. Glaring again at me, he curled up next to her, tucking his arm around her below mine and resting his forehead against hers. Then I slipped into a deep, dreamless slumber.

* * *

 

When Vishnal woke us in the morning, we were still in roughly the same positions as we'd fallen asleep, except that Avani had flipped sides so that Dylas was now snuggled up to her back and her head was tucked under my chin. She curled up into a drowsy little ball when Vishnal opened her curtains to let the brilliant spring sunlight in, then yelped a moment later. I looked down at her and found Dylas's hand had slipped down onto her breast and, still more than half asleep, he was giving it a few good squeezes. Turning bright red, she elbowed him hard, jolting him out of what were no doubt some very pleasant dreams. I tried without much success not to laugh at his bewildered expression—or at Vishnal's discomfiture when he turned and saw his beloved Princess naked from the waist up. "You know," I said with a chuckle, "you might want to consider a top of some sort to go with your new pyjamas. Otherwise, poor Vishnal might have a heart attack one of these mornings."

Our trip back to the floating fortress was quick and uneventful. It appeared that Avani’s assumptions had been correct, and they’d not had sufficient troops to mount an assault. We landed on the same platform as before, and headed over to the central island. “Let’s take on the eastern island next,” Avani said, looking back and forth at the two opposing bridges. “That’ll make maneuvering the airship that much safer, if we have both of the adjacent islands even partially cleared.”

“Sounds good to me,” I replied, pulling my spear out.

“Whatever,” Dylas muttered as he slung his rucksack over his shoulder. He was still out of sorts from his rude awakening, but I figured a few good fights and he’d be right as rain. Nothing like a good fight to put things into perspective.

Avani ignored his sulky mood as she unsheathed her dual swords. “Let’s get a move on then, shall we?” And once again we were off at a run.

The first platform of the eastern island was empty except for a series of seven columns, each a different color. They looked as though they had some significance other than mere decoration, but none of us could guess what. Continuing on, we found that this island was nearly as warm and humid as the other, but populated with some different plants and beasts, such as man-eating plants that would burst out of the dense groundcover unexpectedly, snapping toothily at our legs.

The monsters of the eastern island were primarily giant, blood-red panthers, huge trolls, and more of those aerial robots. Furthermore, the bridges between the platforms on this island were frequently blocked by colored pillars, forcing us to follow a predetermined path. Switches and levers hidden among the dense foliage of the platforms unlocked these pillars, opening up new areas as we traversed the island. It was slow, tedious progress that we made, involving a lot of backtracking and searching.

After fighting our way through what felt like miles of jungle paths, we reached a large, open platform that was populated with only one monster. But, oh what a monster! A giant troll, each leg dwarfing even Dylas, hefting a war hammer with a head as large as a warhorse. As we skidded to a stop on the slippery stones, it slowly turned around. Seeing us, it bellowed in rage and took a step towards us. Its footfall was so heavy, the platform shuddered from the impact.

We each dove in a different direction, working with an intuitive teamwork that only veteran comrades-in-arms can achieve. I rolled and sprang up partway behind it; Dylas and Avani flanked it, Dylas to its left and Avani to its right. I cast a flame wheel at it, then leveled my spear and charged at the back of its right knee. Dylas assailed its left leg, seeking to knock it out from underneath with his kicks and punches. Avani dashed in front of the monster, ducking beneath a swing of its mighty weapon. Although the giant was massive and powerful, it was slow and stupid. Avani darted around, dodging the pendulous swing of the hammer as she slashed and sliced at its legs. Dylas and I both backed away to give her space, instead casting spells—Dylas casting his electrical attack from the front left of the platform while I alternated between whirlwind wheel and flame wheel spells from the front and right of the giant.

All at once, as I glanced up after casting another whirlwind wheel, I saw the giant raise its hammer high in the air, preparing to smash it down on Avani's head as she again drove in, slashing at its knee. I shouted out a warning to her, but not quickly enough—the hammer crashed down on top of her with enough force that the platform shook. Dylas bellowed an ear-shattering cry such as I'd never heard before—that, despite all his protests, sounded like nothing so much as the scream of an enraged stallion.

“Avani!” I cried out as we leapt forward in unison. The giant slowly raised his hammer, scratching its head stupidly as it looked—and found nothing there. I stopped short, baffled and confused. Dylas likewise halted, looking completely at a loss, and then we spotted her, climbing onto the monster’s shoulder from its back as if scaling a wall. Reaching its shoulders, she planted her feet firmly and gripped the monster by its long, stringy hair to keep her balance as she began to belabor the beast around its head and neck, slashing at its heavy, leathery hide. Irritated rather than pained by her attack, the giant shook its head then slapped at her to dislodge her. Easily dodging its blows, she continued her assault until, finally, the beast growled in frustration and raised its hammer to strike at her. She leaped from its shoulders just as the blow fell, and the beast collapsed, knocked out by its own weapon. Simultaneously, I cast a water column wheel, Dylas cast his electrical attack, and Avani cast penetrate sonic at the fallen creature. Defeated, it vanished from sight, a shard of its splintered hammer and a splinter of one of its massive fingernails all that remained.

“Goddamn it all to hell!” Dylas spat vehemently, as he spun to face her, his expression thoroughly incensed. “What were you _thinking_? Are you _insane_? Next time, _tell_ us before you pull a stunt like that!”

Avani and I stared at him, stunned, as he ranted at her. When he was finished, she scowled, looking pretty angry herself. “So, what, I’m supposed to just shout out everything I do before I do it? And warn our opponents of my every move, so they can counter my attacks more effectively? What kind of freaking genius strategy is _that_? Are you trying to get me _killed_?”

To her surprise—and mine—Dylas grabbed her and jerked her roughly to him. He glared down at her for a moment… then kissed her, wildly and passionately. After a moment, she pulled free and backed away a few steps. “What… what the _hell_? What is _wrong_ with you? First you yell at me, now you act like you want to make love to me right here in the middle of enemy territory, in front of Leo even. What’s gotten _into_ you all of a sudden?” she berated him, confused by his actions.

He grabbed her shoulders, pulling her back to him and holding her tightly. “I… I thought I’d lost you,” he muttered in a strangled voice. “When I saw that monster’s hammer come down, I… I….”

She looked up at him in dismay as tears spilled out from the corners of his eyes, splashing onto her shoulder. “Dylas… I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean… I didn’t know….” She looked over at me, her eyes stricken. “And you? Did you…?”

I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck to smooth the fine hairs that had stood on end in that harrowing moment. "Yeah… well, I didn't see you get out of the way, either, so…. It was pretty heart-rending, to say the least."

She bowed her head for a moment, then putting one arm around Dylas, she held the other out for me. She held us tightly for a long moment, not saying anything. Then she released us, saying, “I’m sorry, so very sorry, for worrying you two like that. I-I don’t know what to say. But at the same time, please try to have a little faith in me, okay? I really _can’t_ just go around warning you of my plans in advance. For one, doing so would give them away to the enemy, and for two, half the time I’m flying by the seat of my pants and don’t know quite what I’m going to do until I do it. I mean, when I see an opportunity, I take it. So I’m going to apologize in advance for any scares I put you through in the future—I’m sure there will be plenty of them. But you know, it kind of goes with the territory. As long as I’m fit to be a warrior and as long as I’m needed, I’m going to be out there risking my life from time to time. So I’m counting on the two of you for backup and to lend a hand if I ever do get badly injured. There’s no one in all the world that I trust to have my back as I do you two— _no one_.”

I looked down at her and smiled at her serious expression. “Just tell me when you plan to leave. Wherever you go, I will follow,” I said softly, stroking her cheek.

Dylas nodded, embarrassed now by his earlier outburst. “Sorry for, uhh, for getting so riled. It just scared me really bad. So… yeah. Just… just please take me with you whenever you go someplace dangerous, so I can be there to help you.”

* * *

 

After a brief rest, we continued on through the maze of bridges and platforms until at last we faced a bridge with a large ornate gate, similar to the one in the southern island that had led to the switch we sought there. We cautiously proceeded, and on the other side a massive unmanned vehicle—another tank of sorts—waited for us. It cast several large energy beams at us as it spun around to face us, causing us to leap out of the way, and battle was joined.

From the side, Dylas cast his energy strike at the tank. Lightning crackled all around it and confused it temporarily, causing it to spray volley after volley of projectiles in random directions. Then as he charged in, leaping on top of the turret, I cast earth wheel while Avani cast prism, bringing forth four globes of light energy that whirled around her, intercepting attacks and dealing damage to whatever came into contact with them. She ran towards the tank with her dual swords drawn and ready while Dylas rained blows down from the top and I cast another earth wheel. She leaped up and began to hack away at the gun with her swords. Her prism spell chipped away at both the hull and the gun, and Dylas, quickly discerning her plan, altered his attack to focus on the gun, as well.

Soon the gun barrel was battered and partially collapsed, and Avani and Dylas leaped away, dodging behind some crates for cover as they shouted to me to take cover. The tank spun towards their voices and advanced upon them. Then to my surprise, it exploded in a ball of fire. It had attempted to shoot its energy weapon at us, but with the barrel blocked, the attack backfired and blew the tank into shards.

Once the dust settled, we continued on, finding a lever on the next platform to the east. Avani threw the switch, and we again used the warp point near the bridge to return to the central island. We strode up to the north end to examine the bridge there, and we found that another barrier had disappeared.

Two down, one to go.


	38. Chapter 38

It was early evening when we returned to Avani’s rooms and dropped off our gear before heading over to the inn’s bathhouse for a much-needed soak in the fragrant baths. They were quiet at that hour—Jones was the only occupant on the men’s side when Dylas and I stepped in to shower before our soak, and he left shortly after we settled down in the large pool of steaming water. Dylas seemed unusually quiet, even for him, perhaps even a trifle sullen. I knew better than to talk to him when he was in that frame of mind. If he wanted to talk, he would initiate a conversation—otherwise it was better to let him alone. So I just leaned back and enjoyed the warmth of the water and the scented steam and let him stew. I knew that whatever was on his mind wouldn’t stay there long—he was a man of action, not of philosophy or poetry.

Afterwards, scrubbed and relaxed and in clean clothing, we walked over to Porcoline’s for a late dinner. Fortunately, the restaurant had extended hours—though whether for his customers’ convenience or for additional opportunities to sneak more food past Margaret, I was never entirely sure. We all ordered set meals—sashimi for Dylas, curry for Avani, and grilled salmon for myself, and Margaret stood by to ensure that our food reached our table intact. Dylas’s pensive mood continued throughout the meal, so Avani and I talked while he mostly just picked at his food, eating less than usual despite the day’s exertions.

Avani’s armor had been badly damaged in combat, and she decided that it really wasn’t adequate anymore. She wanted to upgrade all our armor, but she wasn’t sure with what yet. So she suggested that after the meal we return to her rooms, examine our equipment, and search through her various tomes on the crafting of arms and armor to see if there was a mention of anything that would be an improvement on what we currently had. Then she wanted to go in search of whatever materials were needed the next day, spend the day after that making the new equipment, and then finally return to tackle the western island of the floating fortress on the third day.

“Sure,” I said when she put forth her suggested plan of action. “That sounds great. What do you think?” I turned to Dylas.

He started slightly, then blushed a little. “Uhh, sorry. No. I-I can’t. I… I’m going to be busy tomorrow.”

Avani raised her eyebrow. “Weren’t you just telling me earlier to ask you to come with me if I went anywhere dangerous? So now that I’m asking, suddenly you can’t?” she asked, drily.

He turned even more red, saying, “Yeah. But at least you’ll have Leon, so it’s not like you’ll be out on your own.”

Avani just stared at him, perplexed, then shrugged, saying, “Well, if you can’t, you can’t. We’ll manage just fine without you, I expect.” Then she pushed her chair back and rose. “I’m going to go settle the bill. Are you guys almost done?”

I nodded, but Dylas, looking away, said, “I… I have some stuff I have to do. You go on ahead. Sorry to ask, but can you just look at my stuff for me and decide what to replace? I’ve got something I have to do tonight. Sorry.”

Again Avani stared at him, her brow furrowed. “Dylas, what is it? What’s up? You’re acting really peculiar. Is something wrong? Are you… are you still mad about earlier? I said I was sorry—there really wasn’t much choice, you know. I thought we got all that cleared up?”

“No, it’s not that, it’s… it’s nothing. I just have some things I have to do, so I don’t have time right now to hang out with you.” Then he quickly stood up and bolted out of the restaurant, leaving us staring after him.

“What… what is _wrong_ with that nitwit today, anyway? Doesn’t have _time_ for me? When I’m doing _him_ a favor? I’m going to regret that I ever took him back, if he’s going to be like _this_.” She sighed and shook her head in irritation. “Well, if you’re finished? Let’s get going. Hopefully _you_ aren’t too busy for me, too?”

“Indeed not, My Lady,” I said with a broad smile. Though I was not at all displeased to spend some time alone in her company, I still regretted the circumstances since I hated to see her unhappy. If the saying that you always hurt the one you love was true, then Dylas must love her _very_ dearly.

It was a beautiful spring evening, and the sun was just setting when we left the restaurant. So we decided to stroll along through the western side of town in order to enjoy the colorful display. As we passed the blacksmith’s shop, Avani decided to stop in and see if perhaps Bado had any suggestions for better armor. We stepped in and looked around for the smith, but to our surprise, we saw Dylas, of all people, back at the forge, busy with some task.

“Dylas? What are you doing _here_? I thought you were busy?” Avani said in surprise, walking back to the forge.

He jumped and spun around. “Dammit! Don’t sneak up on me like that!” he yelled, turning first white, then red.

“What are you talking about? I _didn’t_ sneak up on you. I just walked in through the door like a normal person. What are you doing here?”

“Aah! Uhh, nothing—I’m not doing anything. Just… just go away, will you? I don’t have time for you right now.”

“You… _what_? Come on, what are you up to? Why are you acting so strange?” Avani said, scowling.

“I-I’m not acting strange! _You’re_ acting strange—stop following me around! Just leave me alone!”

She stood stock still and just stared at him, hurt and anger jockeying for position on her face. Finally she just said, “Fine! Have a _wonderful_ night all by yourself, Dylas.” Then she turned on her heel and stalked out, grabbing my arm on the way—her original errand forgotten.

Once she was outside the smith, her face crumpled and tears slipped down her cheeks. “I don’t understand, Leo. What did I do? Why is he acting like this? Is he really _that_ upset about earlier?”

I wiped the tears from her cheeks and put my arm around her. “Don’t worry about it, My Lady. You know Dylas—he just gets moody from time to time. I’m sure he’ll get over it soon—whatever ‘it’ is.”

We returned to her rooms and gathered up her tomes on the art of smithing. Sitting before the fire, we pored over her books in silence, until at last she sat up excitedly. “This! Oh, it seems so obvious now, but I never even _thought_ of doing armor this way! And I can get the materials without too much difficulty, so that’s even better!”

“What is it, My Lady? What did you find?” I said, closing my book and peering over at the volume that lay open on her lap.

“Just this—if you add diamond studs to this fairly basic armor, here, see? Like this… the diamonds are so hard, that they create a, well, not exactly _impervious_ armor, but definitely pretty tough. Brilliant in its simplicity, isn’t it? I saw some ore up in the mountains, in the Sechs territory, that looked as though it might be the right kind to contain diamonds, and this kind of armor is one that I can readily obtain after defeating the Viking monsters that are all over the place up there. So what do you say? Do you feel up to taking on some Vikings and mammoos and maybe a few death stalkers and tundras? It doesn’t look like Dylas will be coming with us, but we can take Baldur if you like—he could use the exercise, to be honest.”

“Certainly. It’s been some time since we’ve gone out fighting, just the two of us. Even if it’s too cold up there for any impromptu diversions, it’ll still be enjoyable to spend some time alone with you.”

She flashed me a grateful smile. “You know, I don’t know how you do it, but whenever I’m feeling down or angry or whatever, you seem to know just exactly how to make me feel better.”

I set her book aside and leaned over to kiss her, saying, “Well, My Lady, it’s a bit of an obsession of mine—making you feel better. Allow me to demonstrate….”

* * *

 

The next morning, before we set of to the Sechs territory, Avani decided to try again to persuade Dylas to come with us. “It’s not that I don’t like the idea of it being just the two of us,” she assured me. “But if I’m going to the effort to gather materials and craft him some armor, it seems like the _least_ he can do is come along and help get the supplies I need. I don’t think that’s all _that_ much to ask. I don’t know what’s come up so suddenly, but surely he can postpone it a _little_ longer.”

I shrugged and smiled at her. “I’ve no idea, My Lady. He hasn’t said anything to me, though I did notice he seemed unusually taciturn yesterday—even for him.”

She sighed and stood up from the breakfast table. Gathering up the dishes, she said, “Well, it won’t hurt to ask, anyway.”

We washed up and headed over to the restaurant. Dylas came rushing out just as we reached the door, nearly knocking us over in his haste. “Dylas!” Avani shouted as he dashed off, oblivious to our presence. He came to a sudden halt and turned to look back at us, scowling as Avani ran up to him. “We’re about to head off to the Sechs territory to get materials for the new armor I’m going to make us—can you join us?”

“I already told you, I don’t have _time_ for you! Quit following me everywhere!” He turned and ran off, leaving Avani stunned on the street behind him.

I quickly hurried over to her and embraced her. “Hey, don’t fret. You’ve still got me, right? So let’s get going. You can pretend that the mammoos are Dylas—they’re big and dumb, too.”

She hiccupped a laugh and a sob mixed together and wiped a tear from her eye. “I just don’t know what’s going on with him. I… I feel like I’ve lost one of my best friends, and I don’t have a clue why.” She heaved a deep sigh, then turned and slowly headed towards the airship.

We spent most of the day fighting Vikings and other montane creatures as well as searching for ore. By late afternoon, Avani had acquired enough materials, and we returned home. After dropping off the materials and our equipment, we headed over to the inn to soak in the baths for a while before dinner. A good day’s fighting and a nice long soak in the tub seemed to at least partially restore her spirits, and we returned to her rooms. I set about grilling some shrimp while she made fried rice and a salad.

After dinner, we went for a stroll. As we walked along Airship Way, Dylas came striding along towards the restaurant. Avani stopped and stared at him, a pensive look in her eyes. Then quickly, as if suddenly making up her mind, she strode up to him. “Dylas,” she said, and he started, caught off guard. “ _Why_ are you avoiding me?”

“I-I’m not!” he protested. 

“Yes, you _are_! All of a sudden you’re too busy for me, and you keep telling me to get lost. It’s like we were never even friends, let alone lovers! _Why_?”

“I… it’s only that… that you just won’t leave me alone!”

Avani turned pale and I could see tears in her eyes. “Why, Dylas? Why are you treating me like this? Why are you being so _mean_ to me?”

A startled look came over Dylas’s face. “I-I’m…. Look, just go, will you? Just… go away and leave me alone.”

She stood there, stricken, then she slapped him and ran, sobbing, down the steps to her garden and on to the castle, with me following close on her heels.

She burst through her back door, and throwing herself down on her bed, she began to wail loudly, great sobs racking her small frame. I sat next to her and murmured soothingly to her, stroking her hair until she quieted and, utterly spent, finally fell asleep, her cheeks bright and hot and wet with tears.

As soon as she was soundly asleep, I hurried to the inn to fetch Sano and Uno. I settled them in to keep a close eye on her, reminding them to avoid contact with her while she slept. Then I left.

* * *

 

I found Dylas in his room, pacing back and forth. He looked up and glared at me when I entered his room. “I don’t have time for you, either,” he snapped.

I narrowed my eyes and growled, my ears flattened against my skull, “Maybe so, but buddy, you’re going to _make_ the time, and right now.” I grabbed him by the collar and dragged him clear through town, all the way to the shore of Dragon Lake, where we had a little privacy. I jerked him up close to me, glaring into his face despite his advantage in height. “Listen,” I snarled. “Enough is enough. I don’t know what the _hell_ you’re playing at, but I’m sick and tired of you making Avani cry all the time. You’d better have a _damn_ good excuse for being a total dickwad, because otherwise I’m going to kick your ass all up one side of town and down the other.” Then I threw him to the ground and stood over him, glowering. “Now you listen—when Avani walks out her door tomorrow morning, I want you standing there waiting in the courtyard. And you’re going to apologize to her for the hurtful things you’ve said and done. And you’re going to _mean_ it, or I _will_ kick your ass. Is that clear?”

He bristled and replied, struggling to his feet, “Shut the fuck up, Leon! Mind your own goddamn business. This doesn’t concern you!”

“Oh, yes it does. If it involves Avani, it involves me. And if you keep on hurting Avani, I will _most certainly_ hurt you. Keep that in mind.”

“Pfft, I could take you any day,” he said scornfully. “I’m bigger and stronger than you.”

“Maybe so, but I’m faster and smarter—and a _hell_ of a lot angrier. Care to try me?”

Before he could reply, though, a loud roar broke the stillness. “Dyyyllllaasssss!!” bellowed Volkanon as he raced towards us. As he neared Dylas, he pulled out his massive war hammer and held it at the ready. Diving at the younger man, he shouted, “How! Dare! You! Make! Her! Cry!!” with each swing.

Dylas jumped out of the way, shouting, “What the _hell_?”

“Dylas! How _dare_ you hurt someone as sweet and good as Avani! Prepare to be punished!” a strident female voice shouted, and I turned to see Forte charging, sword drawn, straight for her target. Again he dove out of the way… and then all hell broke loose.

Nearly en masse, the entire town—barring Venti and Avani herself—converged on Dylas, shouting angrily and threatening him with fists and weapons while lecturing and scolding him soundly for his treatment of their beloved princess. Confused and dismayed, he ducked and rolled and darted this way and that, trying to avoid the mob of angry villagers. The final straw came when he turned and saw little, old Granny Blossom raising her cane shakily in the air to strike him, white-lipped with anger. He turned and fled, tripping and falling as he dove up the stairs leading from the lakeshore to the town. He picked himself up and dashed away, racing as fast as he could to lock himself in his room above the restaurant.

I returned to Avani’s room as quietly as I could. Sano assured me that she’d slept the entire time without stirring even once at the commotion outside. The two foxes rose and stretched in unison, then curled up together on a chair in the sitting area. After changing into my pyjamas, I carefully climbed into bed next to her. I gently put my arms around her, and she nestled up to me with a ragged, sobbing sigh before slipping back into a deep slumber. I sighed to myself, thinking over the night’s events. I had a pretty good guess what was behind Dylas’s odd behavior, and if my hunch was correct, I was none too delighted.

* * *

 

The next morning, I made her breakfast in bed and told her I’d asked Vishnal and Clorica to see to her gardens and animals that morning so that she could rest. So she enjoyed a rare lazy morning at home, and I gladly enjoyed it with her. I hadn’t forgotten what I’d told Dylas, though, so after a reasonable amount of time, I suggested we dress and go pay a few social calls before she settled down to her day’s work at her forge.

Sure enough, when we walked through her front door, Dylas was there, standing silent and still before her door. She started, first turning white and then red as she recalled his words the previous evening. “What do _you_ want? I thought you wanted me to keep away from you. So why are you _here_?” she asked, her voice icy.

Dylas blushed and looked away for a moment, then straightened up to meet her gaze. “I-I know. And I’m sorry. I said… I said some things that I shouldn’t have. I didn’t _mean_ to hurt you. I just didn’t stop to think.”

“Well, was there some _reason_ that you treated me that way?”

He hesitated before answering, “Ye-e-es… but I can’t tell you why.”

“Fine. See you around,” she said, angrily, as she turned to walk away.

“Wait! _Wait_! Please, Avani, just give me a minute. I… I know you’re mad at me, and you have every right to be mad. I know I’m a jerk and I keep on saying and doing things that hurt you, even though I don’t mean to. But please just listen to me. I can’t tell you the reason _yet_. Please, just trust me— just give me a little more time.”

“How long are you talking about? I’m not saying I forgive you, mind, but I want to know exactly what it is you’re asking of me.”

“Can you meet me here tonight? Like, around 19:00? Or if you aren’t ready to talk to me then, I’ll wait until you are. And if you still aren’t ready tomorrow, I’ll wait until the next day, or the next, or the day after that. Even if it takes a hundred years, I’ll wait here for you, however long it takes until you are willing.”

Avani sighed tiredly, obviously touched by his plea, but equally obviously still upset with him. “And you’ll tell me everything then?” Again he hesitated, and Avani scowled at him. “Give me your word that you’ll tell me _everything_ , and I’ll agree to meet you and hear you out. If you won’t give me your word, then no deal.”

“Okay, okay! I’ll tell you everything. I-I promise.”

“Fine. Then I’ll see you at 19:00. Oh, and meet me in my room, not in the courtyard—I’ll be making new armor today, and even if you _have_ been a complete ass to me, you still need armor. So I’ll want you to try it on before we have our talk.”

He nodded, then he ran off to make whatever preparations he intended to make. She turned towards me, a thoughtful look in her eyes. “You knew about this, didn’t you?”

“Well, ‘knew’ is perhaps a little strong. It’s not as if he’s been confiding in me. Let’s just say, I had a pretty strong hunch.”

“Strong _and_ accurate, I’ll bet. Well, if I’m supposed to meet him here tonight, I guess I’d better skip social calls and get right to work forging. Sorry, Leo. You’re welcome to hang around if you like, though don’t feel obligated—I know it’s hard on your ears.”

“It is, rather. I think I’ll do some more work on translating—in my room at the inn, since your forge is too near your study for me to concentrate over the din.”

“All right, then. I’ll bring your armor with me when I come to bathe tonight, and you can see how it fits. So probably around 17:00, give or take a little depending on how the work goes.”

“I’ll be there,” I replied, then leaned down and kissed her wistfully before heading back inside to grab my things.

* * *

 

I spent the day working on some translations, and as promised, Avani came by just a few minutes before 17:00. She pulled out the armor, and I gave a low whistle. The armor was designed as a plate to cover the chest and abdomen, with heavy straps to secure it in place. Made of some very hard, dull, whitish metal, it was thickly studded with small diamonds and diamond chips in a decorative design reminiscent of peacock feathers. It was a thing of beauty as well as function. I removed my vest and slipped it on—it fit perfectly.

“Do… do you like it? Does it fit?”

“It’s incredible, and a perfect fit. It just might be too nice to use, though,” I replied, smiling at her as I removed it again. “Thank you,” I said, giving her a kiss.

“It’s the first time I’ve really felt like I had the skill to do something decorative. I was afraid you wouldn’t like it, though… that it would be, well, silly.”

“Not in the least.” I assured her, kissing her again.

I accompanied her down to the baths, as I felt like I could use a break anyway. Afterwards, I headed over to Porcoline’s, but to my surprise, I found it was closed for a private party. With a shrug, I turned around and returned to the inn, where I asked Lin if she would please send up a meal for me. It looked as though I’d be staying in, after all.

* * *

 

I had just put away my translation work and thrown myself down on my bed, feeling too restless to sleep or read a book, and debating if I should go for a walk or possibly even go do some solo monster hunting, when I heard the sound of footsteps racing up the stairs. I sat up just as Avani bolted into my room, sobbing. I glanced at the clock—it was 22:00, so whatever had her weeping was almost certainly due to Dylas… _again_. I felt my jaw clench in anger. That boy was getting to be a real problem.

“My Lady? What happened? Are you all right?” I asked as she flung herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and sobbing into my shoulder. It was several minutes before she calmed enough to talk, and even then it was difficult to get anything coherent from her.

“That… that _idiot_!” she finally gasped.

“What is it, My Lady? What happened?”

“He… he… he asked me to _marry_ him!” she said in a strangled voice, then began to cry again.

I stiffened at her announcement. So I’d been right, after all. “He did, did he?” was all that I said.

“ _Yes_. Why did he have to go and do _that_? Everything was _perfect._ ” she sniffled, burrowing into my embrace.

“Was it?” I said, gently.

She sat up in surprise and looked at me. “Y-yes, or I _thought_ it was, anyway….”

Stroking her cheek softly, I said “My Lady, it’s permissible to deceive others from time to time—necessary, even. In battle, for example, or to hide a pleasant surprise from a friend. But you mustn’t ever deceive _yourself_. Now, think it over, and ask yourself— _is_ everything perfect? Or just… tolerable? You don’t need to answer me, and I think you already know the answer yourself, anyway.” I sighed and lay back on my bed, and she lay next to me, snuggled up close on the narrow bed, looking thoughtful.

“Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking everything is perfect simply because we want so much to believe it—maybe because it’s easier to believe things are fine then to confront reality. But then we aren’t really seeing things as they are—we’re putting blinders on, ignoring the truth, oblivious to how others may be feeling. And that’s not a tenable situation for any involved.”

She looked into my eyes, startled and distressed. “Does that mean that you and Dylas are suffering? That our situation is making you both miserable?”

I smiled at her, saying, “No. I don’t mean that. I… was thinking more of… of a different set of circumstances.” She still looked worried, so I stroked her soft, silky hair. “Honest—I wasn’t talking about you or the three of us. Just… just something I remembered. Although it’s still not bad advice.”

“Maybe… but still, you asked me if things were _really_ perfect, or if I was deceiving myself. And I guess the answer to that is no—not _exactly_ —on both counts. But… sometimes the truth is not merely unpleasant but unbearable, and deception is simply a type of armor. Don’t you think?”

“Perhaps.” I gave her a kiss on her forehead. “Am I to take it, then, given that you’re now lying in bed with me, that you did not give him a favorable response?”

She snorted. “Not the one he hoped for, if that’s what you mean. I _do_ love him… I-I really do. But… I don’t want to marry him, because then that would mean losing _you_. And _that_ would be unbearable.”

I held her tightly then, relief washing over me in soothing waves, and we lay there, the two of us, thinking our private thoughts in the pleasure of each other’s company.


	39. Chapter 39

We fell asleep that night on my narrow bed, still fully dressed and in each others arms. I woke at some point during the night and pulled a blanket over us, as the spring nights were still rather chilly. Then I fell back asleep with her body pressed against mine.

When I awoke the next morning, Avani was gone. She had left a note propped up on my bedside table informing me that she had returned home to tend to her gardens and beasts and inviting me to join her for breakfast.

I arrived in her gardens just as she emerged from her barn, carrying a crate full of milk cans with a basket of eggs balanced on top. She gently set the eggs on top of her shipping container just as Vishnal came down the steps behind me to take her day’s produce to the waiting airship. I followed her into the kitchen, where she deposited the milk in her refrigerator and began pulling out ingredients to make breakfast. “I hope you won’t mind, but I invited Dylas to breakfast, too. He should be here any minute.”

I was a little taken aback at first, but after reflecting for a moment, it wasn’t really all _that_ surprising. Avani likely felt somewhat guilty for turning Dylas down, and was doubtless eager to try to restore some normalcy to our recently disrupted accord. So carrying on as if nothing had happened really seemed pretty characteristic for her… but I wasn’t at all sure that things _could_ go back to normal. It mostly depended on Dylas, I supposed, and whether he was willing and able to resume the relationship they’d previously enjoyed.

Avani started some porridge simmering, then began chopping vegetables to make a filling for omelets. Meanwhile, I started the coffee, then grabbed a basket of oranges on her counter to start halving them for juicing. I was just slicing the first orange when there was a knock on the door. When I opened the door, Dylas stepped in, looking painfully awkward. He stopped just inside the door and looked questioningly at me. I nodded, saying, “She told me.”

He looked away again, his eyes both relieved and dismayed, saying, “I… you know, I really didn’t think I had a chance. But… I had to at least _try_. I couldn’t have lived with myself if I’d never even made the attempt. But… she said no, so that’s that. I guess I’ll just take whatever she’s willing to give, as long as she’s willing to give it.”

I raised an eyebrow as I said, “Even if all she wants is to continue as we are indefinitely? Can you… bear that?”

He shrugged. “I don’t honestly know. But for now… I’d rather that than lose her completely.”

I nodded in sympathy. I understood how he felt, as I felt much the same way. Though in my case, our state of limbo was entirely my fault, tied as I was by an old promise to one who was no longer able to release me from those bonds.

* * *

 

As we ate, Avani said that she was ready to go tackle the western island on the floating fortress as planned, if we were ready to join her. Dylas and I agreed, so we finished our meal, donned our gear, and headed for the airship.

This trip was as quiet as the previous one, despite the two-day delay. Landing on the floating quay, we again headed to the central island on to the bridge leading west. This island was… well, nothing short of a royal pain in the ass. Instead of platforms connected by bridges, it was instead comprised of small clusters of two or three platforms each, which were connected by warp points. The guards of this island were mostly dark and undead monsters: fausts, dark slimes, dark fairies, and hell spiders, though later we also encountered some fairly tough golems. However, the monsters themselves weren’t so much the difficulty—it was trying to figure out our way through all the warp points. We soon lost count how many times we ended up back at the start, backtracking yet again as we tried to map out a way through the tangled confusion of platforms.

While the other islands had taken roughly eight or nine hours to complete, this one took us two _days_ of hard work, slogging through dismal, swampy, steamy platforms. At the end of the first day, after fighting for a good twelve hours straight, we were thoroughly exhausted. If we hadn’t been so muddy and sweaty, I think we would have collapsed in a heap on the floor until dawn. But instead we dragged ourselves to the baths, eating whatever Lin had on hand to feed us and trying to keep from falling asleep in the water. When we returned to Avani’s room, we barely could keep awake long enough to clean our equipment before we fell into her bed all together. I can’t speak for the others, but I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit a pillow—or whatever soft surface it landed on.

* * *

 

The next day was much the same as the first, though at least we had charted a large portion of the island by that time. Using our maps, we headed straight to where we had left off the night before and proceeded from there. Even so, it was another eight hours before we finally reached the gateway that indicated we had, at long last, reached the guardian of the third and final key. We paused to rest, drained and exhausted, and ate a quick meal before we continued on.

This time, instead of a tank of some sort waiting for us, we found a huge stone golem. It stood at least twice as tall as Dylas and looked like a miniature, mobile fortress. It charged us, surprisingly quick and agile for something so massive. Dylas ducked underneath its fist, aiming kicks at its legs as he dodged the blow. I leaped back and immediately cast a water column wheel, the spiraling jets of high-pressure water blasting into the crevices of its rockwork.

It spun around and then, sighting Avani as she retreated to cast a spell, lowered its head and charged at her, like a high-speed battering ram. She saw it coming and leaped up and over, landing on its back. She wedged her longsword into a crevice at its neck as it straightened up, and using it like a climber’s piton, she held on as the golem spun around, trying to dislodge her. Unable to rid itself of her, it instead zipped over the platform towards me, swinging its fists like heavy pendulums. I ducked and rolled out of the way, then dove between its legs to cast another water column wheel from behind it. As it tried to follow me, Dylas charged at it, dodging the jets of water and landing a firm kick on its leg that stunned it into immobility for a moment.

That brief moment was all that Avani needed—she released her hold on the sword, and with a shout, she cast that arcane spell, Darkness, straight into the golem’s head. She wrenched her sword free and leaped clear as a small, black hole appeared where its head had been, devouring the construct as it slowly grew. The golem careened wildly, trying to escape the ravening blackness, but to no avail. Soon nothing remained of it, and the hole—deprived of sustenance—collapsed in on itself and vanished.

We dashed on ahead to the adjacent platform, and Avani pulled the lever we found there. Again the entire fortress shuddered as a loud grinding sound filled the air, even from such a distance. We backtracked to the nearest warp point and returned to the central island.

The final barrier was gone; the bridge to Ethelberd’s citadel lay wide open before us.

* * *

 

We returned to town and dropped off our equipment before heading to the baths. After our baths, we went to Porcoline’s restaurant, where Avani placed an order for takeout. While we waited, we stepped into Arthur’s office next door and caught him up to date. He was surprised and thrilled to hear that we had already all but cornered Ethelberd in his well-guarded lair.

After we had finished our meal and changed into our pyjamas, Dylas and I again looked at each other and then Avani. She looked back and forth between the two of us and sighed. “Listen,” she said, blushing a little and looking down, “we don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. It… it’s entirely possible that one of us—or even _all_ of us—will die fighting Ethelberd, because I have the feeling that this is it—that he’s finished running at last. So tonight, I… I….” She stopped, unable to finish her sentence.

“So you find yourself unable to choose between us for a partner for the night? Is that what you’re trying to say, My Lady?” I asked, in a gentle voice.

She turned a little more red and nodded. “To be honest… I want to be with _both_ of you. _Not_ at the same time!” she added hastily as Dylas began to protest vociferously. “I… what I _mean_ is, I’d like to spend some time with each of you, because… because….”

I put my hand on her shoulder. “We understand, My Lady—or at least, I believe _I_ do. So if Dylas is willing to accommodate your wish, it only remains to determine the… uh, the sequence.” I looked at Dylas, who blushed and looked away, but gave a curt nod of agreement.

“Then you two decide who… what order. It probably matters more to you than to me, anyway,” she added with a wry smile. She turned and sat on the edge of her large bed. “Whoever is second can rest on my daybed in my study, then, if that is acceptable?” We both nodded, then turned to face each other.

“I suppose a fight is the usual way of settling such a dispute. However, I’m much too tired to fight you—I’d far rather conserve my energy for _other_ uses. So how about we play morra to decide? Best two out of three?”

“Fine, okay,” Dylas said, holding his hand to the ready. “Avani, can you call out the countdown?”

“Sure. Ready? On the count of three. One… two… _three_!” she called, watching our hands.

I held up two fingers and called out five, while Dylas held up two and called out four, so Dylas won the first round. Again Avani counted to three, and this time I held up four fingers and called seven, while Dylas held up three and called five—I’d won the second round.

Once again Avani counted to three, and this time I held up one finger and called five, hoping his simple pattern would hold true. He called three… and held up one. I’d lost the final round, meaning Dylas would be the first in Avani’s bed that night. I didn’t mind so _very_ much, although naturally I was disappointed. But to be honest, it probably mattered most to Dylas to be first, and so I accepted the armload of blankets and went up to her study. She said Dylas would wake me when it was time to trade places, and I waved an acknowledgement before closing the door firmly behind me.

I took the opportunity to take a nap, resting and restoring my energy, as well as enjoying the oblivion sleep offered. While I understood Avani’s desire to spend the night with both of her lovers, and I didn’t begrudge Dylas his opportunity to be with her, at the same time, I didn’t care to think about—let alone be sensible of—their activities.

* * *

 

Some time later, I was awakened by a knock on the door. I sat up and stretched, noting that it was now fully dark outside, and Dylas opened the door and stepped in. I was immediately assailed by the strong scent of their lovemaking and instinctively wrinkled my nose. Dylas grinned at my reaction, knowing full well that the odor would be powerful indeed to my keen sense of smell. “I’d say sorry,” he said, smugly, “but I’m not. Your turn.”

I climbed out of bed and stretched again. “Hey, no worries,” I said, with a slightly malicious grin. “I’m just surprised at how quick you were. I thought I’d at least get a _little_ bit of a nap, but I’d only barely fallen asleep. I thought for _sure_ it would take you longer than _that_!” Then leaving him fuming and sputtering behind me, I quickly stepped past him and shut the door.

Avani was in the kitchen when I came down the stairs to her room, so I followed her in there. She was standing at the sink in nothing but her robe, a washcloth in her hand, and she looked up and blushed bright red when I stepped in. “Oh! Umm, just give me a minute, would you, Leo? I—it’s too late to go to the baths, but I wanted to try to clean up as much as I could. I… I know how sensitive your sense of smell is, and….”

I walked up behind her and gave her a kiss. “Thank you, My Lady. That’s exceptionally considerate of you. But don’t worry yourself over it—I’m already adjusting to the scent, though I confess it’s not my favorite.”

She took a last few swipes of the cloth along her thighs, then grabbed a towel and dried herself. I turned her around and looked at her in the dim light of the single lamp she had lighted near the sink. I could feel her trembling, and she looked away, reluctant to meet my gaze. “Are you afraid?” I asked her in a sympathetic voice. She looked down at the floor and nodded, a little reluctantly. “It’s all right, My Lady. You’re about to face a powerful foe who has made up his mind—for reasons unknown to us—to do his best to destroy you and others like you. It’s perfectly reasonable to be afraid, and no one will think the less of you for your fear.”

She shook her head vigorously. “It… it’s not _that_. I’m not afraid of dying, as long as I’m able to keep my promise and save Venti. I mean, I don’t _want_ to die, but I’m not _afraid_ of it, either. It… it’s….” she trailed off as she hesitated.

“What is it, My Lady? What _do_ you fear?” I lifted her chin and looked into her eyes.

She looked back at me for a long moment, then threw her arms around me. “I-I’m afraid of failing, of being too weak to save Venti after all. And I’m afraid of not being able to stop Ethelberd from slaughtering the Earthmates. And I’m afraid of losing everyone and everything I’ve come to love since I came to this town. I’m afraid of losing Dylas… and I’m afraid of losing _you_.” She gave a ragged sob into my chest, and I wrapped my arms tightly around her, holding her closely.

After a minute, I pulled back and looked down at her tear-stained face. Lifting her in my arms, I carried her to her bed, giving her little kisses on her lips, her nose, her cheeks, her eyelids. I set her on the bed and sat next to her, then leaning down to her, I whispered, “My Lady—Avani, my lover—I can’t remove your fears from you. But I _can_ at least offer you a distraction from them for a time.”

She reached her arms up to me to draw me down in an urgent kiss. Her caresses were unfocused and desperate, as if wanting or needing everything all at once. She kissed me all over, brushing her lips against my cheeks and forehead, tickling my ears with her hot breath, nibbling down my neck and chest as she tugged at my robe. I pulled back and smiled at her as I slipped my robe off, then helped her out of hers. As she lay naked on the bed in the amber glow of the lantern, I could see a glimmer of tears in her eyes. Gently, I wiped them away, then kissed her tenderly, whispering, “Forget about tomorrow, My Lady—the future is unknowable. But what _is_ certain is that tonight we have each other. And another thing that is certain is that I will stay with you as long as you are willing and I am able.”

I stood and removed my boxers, then stretched out alongside her on the bed, caressing her cheek. She looked up at me, her eyes large and liquid in the dim light. “Leo… I-I want you to promise me something. Please?”

“What is it, My Lady? If I can do it, I will.”

“I… Promise me that if things get bad— _really_ bad, I mean—that you’ll grab Dylas and get out of there. Run, teleport, do whatever you have to do… but go, and… and _don’t_ look back.”

I sat up, startled by her request. “My Lady, how can I promise to abandon you in your time of need? Am I less than a man?”

She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment. “No, Leo, you are unquestionably a man, and a fine one at that. But tell me _honestly_ —which of the three of us is the most powerful warrior? You know the answer as well as I do. So if things are going badly, it just makes sense for you and Dylas to get away while you can to warn the town. If it’s bad enough, the people here may even need to evacuate, and they’ll need all the help the two of you can give them.” She looked back up at me, and reached up to caress my cheek. “I already made the same request of Dylas, but he’s too stubborn to see sense. So… I’m counting on you—you’re the only one I can depend on. _Please_ , Leo—if it seems hopeless, or if I say to go, just… just _go_. Please? If not for you or for me, then for the town.”

I had no words with which to answer her plea, so instead I leaned over and kissed her, a long kiss full of all the emotion I was unable to vocalize. She hesitated a moment, then I could feel her letting go—losing herself in the moment as she responded to my touch. She was the loveliest, most delightful woman I’d ever known, and I kissed every inch of her creamy, soft skin, memorizing each curve and angle, tracing the myriad faint scars that decorated her limbs. My senses were filled with the mélange of scents that was her own particular perfume, the delightful fusion of salty and sweet and earthy scents and flavors, highlighted with the faint traces of floral soaps and bath oils.

Watching me with eyes dark with emotion and twining sensitive fingers through my hair, she moaned and whimpered tiny cries of pleasure at my caresses—a delightful composition for my ears alone. Taking my time, I slowly kissed down her neck to her jugular notch, pausing to suck gently at the sensitive skin there before moving across her shoulder, leaving a trail of kisses across her collarbone and down the soft skin of her arm, the inside of her elbow, and down to the palm of her hand. I kissed each finger of first one hand, then the other, before moving slowly back up her other arm and back to her jugular notch. From there I kissed down one side of her chest to her breast, stopping to nip and suck on the hard, pink tip of her nipple as she groaned and squirmed beneath my touch.

After a few moments, I continued on my path down her side and over to her belly, trailing kisses all around her navel and on down. At the green softness of her hair, I moved again to the side, leaving kisses down her thigh, along the back of her knee, and finally nibbling the arch of her foot before moving to her other foot. I moved back up the other leg until I again felt the tickle of her fine hair, then I stopped to lap the sour-sweet juices that were trickling down, tasting my way up to the small, hard nub. She cried out as I flicked my tongue over it, gently sucking and caressing her. I held her by her hips as she moaned and writhed, eagerly pressing against me as I explored her moistness until at last she arched her back and cried out my name, her breathing ragged as she shuddered and trembled in my hands.

I slowed down and gently caressed her a few more times with my tongue as her breathing slowed and she relaxed, still trembling. Then I gently kissed my way up her belly, again teasing around her navel, until I reached her breasts. Caressing one breast with my free hand, I cupped the other as I nipped gently at the nipple, feeling it harden as I sucked and swirled my tongue over and around it. Soon she began to moan and squirm again, and I kissed back up along her neck to her lips. Pressing my mouth firmly to hers, I kissed her ardently while caressing her soft skin, brushing the tips of my fingers over her body, feeling the muscles of her abdomen tauten as I sensed the pressure again building deep within her as it was within me.

Sliding over so that I covered her body with my own, I kissed and nibbled at her neck, twining her fingers with mine as I slowly but firmly thrust deep within her. She gasped, arching herself against me, wrapping her legs around me to pull us closer together as I slowly drew out and plunged back in, picking up the pace as we mounted to the peak of our release, gasping each others names and clinging to one another as our combined climaxes overwhelmed our senses.

Afterwards, she pulled back and looked me in the eyes searchingly as she reached up to caress the soft fur of my ears. “I love you, Leo. I… know you can’t, or won’t, reciprocate. But nevertheless, I do love you. I wanted you to know that, in case you doubted it.” I leaned down and brushed my lips lightly across hers, then whispered, “Some feelings, My Lady, are no less true for not having been named out loud.” She smiled contentedly and sleepily, and nestling into my arms, her eyelids fluttered and drooped. Soon she was sound asleep.

* * *

 

Once I was certain she was deep in slumber, I carefully slid out from the sheets. Pulling my boxers back on, I quietly climbed the stairs to the study and opened the door. I slipped into the darkened room and closed the door behind me. As my improved eyesight quickly adjusted to darkness since my reawakening, I had no trouble discerning Dylas’s sleeping form on the daybed. I gently shook him awake, then in a low voice, I said, “We’re through. Do you want to join us, so you can spend the night asleep with her? I think she’d like that, or would if she was awake. Anyway, I think she’ll be glad to have both of us there with her when she wakes in the morning.”

Dylas sat up, sleepy and dazed as he shook the cobwebs from his head. He grunted, then looked up at me, bleary-eyed, and nodded. “Yeah. Okay. I don’t think tomorrow’s going to be as bad as she makes it out to be, but if it’ll make her feel better to have us there with her….” Then he rose and followed me back downstairs, and we climbed into bed on either side of our lover, enfolding her in our embrace as she slept.


	40. Chapter 40

Taking a deep breath, Avani looked back at us. Dylas and I both nodded, and she resolutely turned and began to mount the bridge to the fourth and final island of the skyborne fortress. As we neared the end of the bridge, I readied my spear and shield. I heard the creaking of thick leather as Dylas flexed his hands within his gloves, and Avani pulled out her dual blades. At last the moment for the final confrontation had arrived.

* * *

 

We had awakened early that morning—Avani, Dylas, and I—huddled in a mass together as if seeking comfort from disquieting dreams. After a light breakfast, we had donned our equipment and headed to the airship. To our surprise, the entire town was there, filling Airship Way as they came to see us off, knowing that the fate of the town we all loved—and possibly the entire kingdom—would be decided that day.

* * *

 

At the far end of an extensive vaulted chamber, the Emperor of Sechs stood with his back to us. Without turning, he gloated, “Avani, Earthmate of Selphia. At last you have arrived.” Slowly he turned to face us, and there was madness in his eyes.

“Enough stalling—give me back the rune spheres!” Avani stood before him, her pale green hair cascading over her shoulders, her long skirt fluttering in the light breeze, the diamonds of her armor glittering like dewdrops in the morning sun. She was proud and defiant and utterly breathtaking.

“Calm yourself, Earthmate. Tell me, do you sense the power I hold? Can you feel it coursing through me? Do you tremble in fear as I stand before you? If so, I confess I had thought better of you.”

“What are you talking about?” Avani asked, warily.

“The Earthmates—the caretakers of the earth—those who amplify the earth’s runes and in turn are blessed by them. Once I planned a grand conquest of this land, but I was defeated by one—just _one_ —of your kind. My plans, my beautiful plans—all my ambitions, annihilated by the power he commanded.” Pacing back and forth from one side of the chamber to the other, he continued to rant. “However, now I think I’m rather grateful to you fools—I just might even respect you a little.” Avani stood impassively, tensed and ready for action as she followed him with her eyes.

“You and your kind—you’ve managed to evolve into something above mere ordinary humans. I would even go so far as to say that you are only a step below the gods, perhaps even demigods. “

“What do you…?” she asked him, tersely, her eyes narrowing.

He continued as if she had not spoken. “So being an Earthmate yourself, I expect great things from you. I trust you will not disappoint me.” He pulled a glowing blue stone from a pouch at his side. “Do you see this, Earthmate of Selphia? You want these rune stones back, don’t you? Well, if you want them, come and take them from me with your own two hands!” With that, he dropped the stone back into the pouch and cast what appeared to be some sort of a power amplification spell.

Without delay, Avani leapt up and flipped through the air, landing just to the side of the Emperor, and Dylas charged in with a flying kick. I kept back and cast a flame wheel at him—but when our attacks converged on their target, the Emperor was no longer there. In a blur of motion, he sped to the far side of the chamber, out of reach of our weapons and spells. Dylas spun around and quickly cast his electrical attack, but before Avani or I could regroup, he had already zipped to another part of the room, close to Avani. She whirled around and managed to get a few blows in with her swords before he vanished again, but it didn’t seem to affect him. He reappeared next to Dylas and delivered a blast of energy that knocked him flat on his back. Before he could rise, Ethelberd was gone once again.

He appeared in a far corner of the room, and this time held still as he focused his energy to cast a spell. The three of us took advantage of his momentary distraction to attack—Avani with her swords, Dylas with a series of rapid punches, and me with an earth wheel spell. Although he appeared to take some damage from our attacks, they were nevertheless not enough to break his concentration as he summoned a tornado. Avani, with her amazing reflexes, leapt out of the way of the whirlwind, but Dylas was flung across the room by the powerful wind. It began to head towards me, so I jumped out of the way, skidding to a stop and whirling around to look for Ethelberd.

As it happened, the Emperor appeared just a few paces from me as I searched for him. Spinning to face him, I slashed through the air with my powerful, light-imbued lance, slicing across his chest. Although a blow like that would easily have taken out a lesser monster and severely wounded a greater, it barely scratched him. Still, it was enough to stun him for just a brief moment as Avani cast a penetrate sonic spell three times in rapid succession, sending a total of nine wind blades slashing over and around him.

With a snarl, Ethelberd again darted to the far side of the room, casting a dark snake towards us. Dylas dove beneath the devouring spell, but Avani cast a prism spell—when the black sphere reached her, it combined with the spinning globes of light energy as they canceled each other out.

While we were busy with the dark snake, the Emperor zipped across to the center of the room. Again concentrating his energy, he shouted out another incantation. A blue glow suffused him and spread outward, then exploded into a brilliant, searing light that filled the room. Avani managed to dodge out of the way into a nook in a corner of the room, evading the dreadful attack, but Dylas and I were both knocked flat. I felt an agonizing pain surging through me as the light intensified, draining me of all my energy and strength. I felt the room spinning all around me and my vision dimmed—then suddenly, as from far away, I heard Avani cast a healing spell, and a flood of energy coursed through me, reviving me. I struggled to my feet, seeing Dylas likewise rising with some difficulty a little distance from me. I had no idea what attack Ethelberd had used, but it was definitely one to avoid.

Avani cast another healing spell, then another, as Ethelberd regrouped. Apparently whatever spell he used left him temporarily incapacitated—useful to know, _if_ one could survive the spell in the first place. The three of us turned to face our opponent as he sneered at us from the center of the chamber.

“Not bad, Earthmate, not bad at all. But you’ll have to try much harder than that if you wish to defeat me and reclaim the rune spheres!”

“Just shut up and give us the spheres! They don’t belong to you!” Dylas shouted with a black look at the Emperor.

Ethelberd turned to glance at him, scowling. “Enough, pony boy. You should learn to keep quiet when your betters are conversing!”

“ _I am_ not _a fucking goddamned horse_!” Dylas roared, enraged, as he lunged at him.

“Dylas, _don’t_!” Avani yelled in warning, but it was too late. The emperor focused his energy into another explosive spell, catching Dylas full on as he charged. Avani escaped the worst of it, but I wasn’t able to get out of the way in time and took a lot of damage. Dylas, however, bore the brunt of the attack and was knocked unconscious, barely breathing as he dropped to the floor.

While the emperor cackled, recovering his energy for another attack, I staggered to Dylas’s side. Avani quickly cast a dark snake at the Emperor, shouting to me, “Leo—take Dylas and go! Now!”

“Avani, no! I—”

“Just go _now_!” she bellowed. “You _have_ to warn the townsfolk! I’ll hold him off as long as I can!”

I bowed my head, realizing the sense of it, yet torn between love and duty. Then I made up my mind, and lifting the unconscious Dylas in my arms, I cast Escape, returning to town without so much as a backward glance… just as she had asked of me. And I hated myself for it.


	41. Chapter 41

Setting Dylas down just inside the city gates, I cast a healing spell on the both of us. Then I half-carried, half-dragged the semi-conscious man to the clinic. Bursting through the doors, I pushed him into Nancy’s arms. “Here, please patch him up—then prepare yourselves to evacuate.”

“Oh my,” she said, looking alarmed. “Is it that bad?”

“You’ve no idea just _how_ bad,” I said as I turned and ran out the door.

Arthur was not in his offices, and I pounded my fist into the door jamb in frustration. Nor was he in the baths, so next I tried the castle, hoping that he might be found there.

When I pushed the doors to the main castle chamber—Venti’s chamber—I stopped and stood stock still in surprise. Not only was Arthur there, but Venti was awake. Both turned and looked at me and immediately saw all was not well.

“What is it, Leon? You look distraught,” Arthur said, looking concerned.

“It—the fight’s not going well. I… I honestly don’t know if… if she’s alive or dead by now. He’s powerful—far more powerful than we ever dreamed. Dylas nearly died, and she ordered me to get him out of there and warn everyone in town.”

“That pretentious, arrogant fool,” Venti sighed. I looked from her to Arthur and back again—I’d been too agitated to ask what woke her. “Oh, this?” she said, divining my unspoken question. “Well, you recall that Doug managed to get a rune sphere from that foolish emperor?”

I nodded, and Arthur spoke up. “Just after the three of you left, the honor guard finally arrived, so we placed the sphere. Soon afterwards, Venti awoke. I had just been filling her in on recent developments when you arrived.”

“Don’t worry, Leon,” Venti said softly, her bright eyes glimmering shades of blue and green and gold. “Avani has more strength to her than even _you_ can imagine.”

She rose up onto her haunches, stretching her wings. “Arthur, will you please take a fighter up in the airship to attack the fortress from the sky? _Not_ you, Leon—you’re injured and need to recover. Besides, I may have another need for you before the day is through. Why don’t you take Doug? I think he would appreciate the opportunity for a little… revenge. Meanwhile, I _must_ eat something—it’s been weeks since I’ve had a meal, and I am a little weak. Afterwards, I will join you there.”

“Yes, that sounds like an excellent plan. Go get some rest, Leon,” Arthur said as he set off to find Doug.

“I second that. You look, well, dreadful. Volkanon should be here momentarily with my meal. Do join me—you need to restore your energy, too.”

“How can I possibly eat at a time like this? Venti, I—I _left_ her there. Left her behind to save my own hide. And I don’t even know….”

“Stop being such a fool,” Venti snapped. “You did exactly as she instructed. What do you think would have happened had you disobeyed? Without you and Dylas there, she can focus solely on her battle, without fear of injuring you two, and without needing to drain her energy to keep you alive. And we needed to know— _I_ needed to know—what was happening.”

Her eyes softened again, and she said more kindly, “I know you’re worried and upset. But as I said before, she has more strength than you realize. Although I was unable to restore her memory or to discern who she was or whence she came, I could sense that strength within her. Her spirit shines like a star in the blackest night—like a ray of sunshine in the deepest, darkest forest. Whatever her past, she is someone to be reckoned with. I fancy that upstart emperor will find that he has bitten off more than he can chew this time. Ahh, and speaking of biting and chewing, here comes Volkanon. Now sit with me, eat, and regain your strength. As I said, I may have need of you—and the other Guardians—before we’re done.”

Though I realized the sense of all Venti said, and understood the need for us to take a moment to restore our strength, nevertheless I chafed inwardly at any and all delays in sending whatever aid possible to Avani’s side. I reflected on the implications of that as I wolfed the food offered to me. The events of the past few days had forced me to realize just how much she’d come to mean to me. I knew that I loved her—I suppose I’d always known that on some level, ever since I first saw her there in the tower. But the depth of my attachment to her caught me by surprise. It had crept up on me unawares, this love—and it was deeply disconcerting. I shouldn’t love her—I _couldn’t_ love her… yet, I did. I knew it was selfish of me. I could never marry her, and it was unfair to ask her to stay with me when I refused to give her any commitment. She deserved better, and I knew it.

But this was no time to be pondering such things. Venti had devoured her food hastily, and she was now ready to go to Avani’s aid. Arthur and Doug had left while she was midway through her meal, so they would arrive first.

“Gather the rest of the Guardians here at my dais. Wait to hear from me—if I need you, I will call upon you. Yes, Dylas, too—if he is not yet recovered, heal him yourself. Volkanon will feed you if you need additional restoratives.” She rose up on her haunches and spread her wings as I ducked out of the way. “Now it is time for us to deal with this crackpot once and for all!” And she launched herself into the air, soaring up through the open roof of her chamber and out of sight.

* * *

 

I hurried off, first to the clinic to see if Dylas was awake yet. I found him sitting in bed, looking thoroughly pissed off despite his obvious debilitation. Nancy was trying to persuade him to drink some kind of broth or something while Dolce stood nearby, looking annoyed by his stubbornness.

He looked up as I walked in and scowled, then tried to rise. He was still too weak, though, and fell back on the bed, angrier than ever. “What the _hell_?” he demanded. “Why are we here? Where’s Avani? No one will tell me anything!”

I sighed—he wasn’t going to like this, but that was just too bad. “Avani was still fighting Ethelberd when I brought you here. As far as I know—and sincerely _hope_ —she’s fighting him still.”

“You _what_? What kind of idiot are you? How could you just run off and abandon her like that?” he roared.

I stiffened—it didn’t help to hear my own recriminations thrown back at me in his voice. “I did what she asked—what seemed best for everyone. Was I happy to leave her there to drag your sorry hide back here to get healed? Not at all. Did I want to stay? _Hell_ , yes. But face it, we were just in her way—holding her back from fighting at her full strength. I did what had to be done. And that’s why I’m here—there may yet be more work for us.” Gesturing for Dolce to come nearer, I explained that Venti had gone to Avani’s aid but had asked the four of us to wait at her dais in case she needed our assistance. Dolce nodded, and Pico offered to go find Amber, zipping out in her ghostly way as soon as I agreed.

Dylas was not yet recovered enough to stand, let alone walk. So with a brief apology to Nancy, I cast a few healing spells on him, until he seemed mostly recovered from his injuries. Then the three of us headed to the castle where we were joined by Amber and Pico. Volkanon brought us some food, to fortify us should we be needed… and we waited.

As we waited, Dylas sat next to me at the edge of Venti’s dais, next to her perch. “Hey. Sorry about earlier. You were right. I… I _was_ pretty useless. Thanks for… for getting me out of there.”

I nodded. “Yeah. Sure.” I sighed and looked away. “You know… I _really_ didn’t want to leave her. It just… seemed like the best thing to do. But I’m still not happy that I did it.”

“Do... do you think she’ll be okay?”

I looked over at him, seeing pure, unadorned love and concern in his eyes. Because of his size and strength, I tended to lose sight of how young and inexperienced he was. “If anyone can get through this unscathed, it’ll be her.”

Before he could reply, I heard a faint voice speaking in my head—Venti’s voice. Startled, I looked around, and from the looks on the other three Guardians, I could see that they had heard it as well. “Quickly, all of you—Avani needs your help!” the voice cried weakly. “Gather the townsfolk and go to the rune points. Channel all the hopes and prayers of the town through the rune points. They should reach her through my charm that she wears on her breast and help to strengthen her. It’s our only hope—make haste!” Then silence.

* * *

 

We looked at one another for a brief moment, then Dolce rose and ran to the door. “Well, you all heard her—let’s get moving! I’ll take Jones, Nancy, and Kiel.” Then she was gone.

“I’ll take Margaret and Porcoline,” Dylas said, rising quickly.

“And I’ll take Lumie!” Amber said.

“Okay, fine. Dylas, take Bado and Clorica, too, will you?” He nodded and ran off. “And Amber, please take Vishnal and Blossom. And take good care of Granny!” I called as she darted out the door, her colorful wings fluttering. Then I ran to the butlers’ quarters in the castle.

I found Volkanon at his desk and quickly explained his mistress’s request, then we tracked down Forte before heading to the inn to get Lin and Xiao. We left at once, as it was a bit of a journey to the tower of Leon Karnak—especially without the airship at our disposal. Upon our arrival at the tower, the five of us hastened up the stairs and terraces that led to the top of the tower. The exterior was eerily devoid of monsters, and I briefly wondered if they'd been drawn away by the battle in the fortress that hovered in the sky nearby. Whatever the reason, I was grateful to avoid further delay.

We reached the top of the tower and gathered around the focal point for the rune power there between the ancient kitsune statues that stood guard at the pinnacle. “All right, everyone,” I said, closing my fan and rapping it against my shoulder to get their attention. “Let's get this show on the road!”

Forte scowled at me. “This is _not_ a joke, Leon. Can't you be serious for _once_?”

I looked at her without smiling. “I assure you, I am completely serious. Never more so in my life.” I turned to the others. “Venti has asked me and the other Guardians to focus rune energy through the four rune points to Avani via the charm she possesses. We need you, the people of Selphia, to focus, too—send her your prayers, your hopes, your dreams, your wishes, and they will strengthen her. Give voice to your thoughts, which will give them form, then I will take those forms and channel them through me to her. Let's get going! Forte, you start.” And I waited.

Forte blushed and shifted uncomfortably. After a brief pause, she spoke, looking at the ground to hide her discomfort. “Avani, I hope you can hear me. I remember when you first arrived in town, I offered to spar with you in order to train you in combat, because I sensed your potential. But you surpassed me in almost no time at all, in every way, and the teacher became the taught. Yet knowing my pride, you still asked _me_ to teach _you_ , to spar with you, even when it was really the other way around. In this and a thousand other ways, you showed your kindness. And so I pray for strength for you, to deal mighty blows to your opponent and return safely to us.” And she lifted her head proudly, almost defiantly, to look me in the eyes as soon as she finished her prayer.

I nodded, feeling the fiery energy of Forte’s strength flowing from her through me and into the rune point as she spoke. Maintaining the flow of energy, I said, “Volkanon, you're next.”

Though I didn't turn to look at him, I could sense him straightening up as he spoke. “Miss Avani, when you arrived, it would have been easy for you to take advantage of the situation and pretend to be more than you were. Yet you were never anything but honest and never once tried to use your circumstances to your advantage. And despite not knowing the people of Selphia, you stepped up and lent a hand wherever and whenever you were needed. No request was too small, no task too great. And so, showing your faithfulness in this and a thousand other ways, we all learned you were someone we could rely on. Now we depend upon you to save us all, and so I pray for courage for you, to boldly and unflinchingly face our enemy and return to us in victory.”

A blue stream of courage joined with Forte's strength as I said “Now you, Lin.”

A rustle of silken fabric from behind me, then Lin spoke in her lilting voice. “Oh! Avani, I want you to come home to us, safe and sound. I remember the first time that my husband came to visit after you arrived, and even though you didn't know who he was—even though he was no more than a stranger to you—you rescued him from the monsters that were threatening him and even helped him out with his business. In this and a thousand other ways, you showed your compassion. And so I pray for healing for you, to keep you safe and well as you fight for all of us and to allow you to return home to us.”

Emerald healing energy joined courage and strength, and as I focused on maintaining the flow through the rune point, I said, “Xiao, it's your turn.”

Xiao stepped towards me, tripping and falling as she did so. I could hear her pick herself up and could almost feel the heat of her blush as she carefully approached me. “Oh, it seems I am clumsy even at a time like this, yes? Avani, can you hear me? I remember especially the first Beach Day after you arrived, when I was feeling sad after seeing how pretty my cute mama looked in her swimsuit. I didn't want to join everyone at the lake, yes? Do you remember? And then you smiled at me and told me that I looked very cute in my swimsuit, and you didn't even look at my mama like everyone else did. And I felt so much better, and I had a lot of fun that day at the lake with you and everyone else. Yes, yes! You gave me my joy back when I had lost it then and a thousand other times, and so now it seems I am praying for rune energy for you, to keep you going in your fight so that you can return home safely, so I can again smile for you.”

The flow of violet rune energy, green healing power, blue courage, and crimson strength coursed through me as I channeled it through the rune point to Avani. I braced myself as I joined my voice to theirs. “My Lady, you came to rescue me, a total stranger, and risked your life to return me safely to the realm of the living. Once I had no hope, no future; you restored both to me in a thousand thousand ways. And so, My Lady, I add to the rest _my_ prayer. I pray for hope, that you may look danger and even death in the face and smile, knowing that all is not lost, and that you are not alone—not now, nor ever. I believe in whatever future you weave from our prayers, because I believe in _you_.” Then as the golden light of my prayer intertwined with the other energies flowing through me, in my thoughts I added, “ _Come home safely, Avani—_ you _are_ my _future_.”

And I sent all our hopes to her, and I prayed that they reached her in time.


	42. Chapter 42

At the top of the tower Leon Karnak, I continued to focus on channeling energy to Avani long after I reached the point of collapse. Whenever I thought I couldn’t maintain the flow one more second, the thought of her fighting not only for her life but for _all_ our lives gave me the strength to go on, first another moment and then yet another.

Then without warning, after what might have been hours or days or even minutes, there was a change in the flow of energy through me. I don’t know to describe it other than that there was a sudden _increase_ in the flow, as if filling a void that hadn’t been there moments before. Already weakened by my exertion, the increased drain nearly brought me to my knees. Then, just as suddenly as it started, it ceased. The channels were closed; the energy that continued to flow through me for a few moments afterwards merely dissipated. I dropped down on my hands and knees, gasping for breath, sweat dripping from my brow to the stone terrace.

“What is it? What’s happened?” Forte demanded anxiously as they all crowded around me. I slipped to the ground and lay there panting, unable to reply.

In response to my collapse, Volkanon pulled some dried fruit out of his pack and fed it to me. Soon I could stand again, and I gazed up towards the aerial fortress as I answered Forte’s question. “I… I don’t know. Something suddenly drew a massive amount of energy from me, then it stopped as suddenly as it started and the flow of energy ceased. I don’t know what it signifies.”

The others joined me looking skyward, and as we peered at the far-off fortress, my keen eyes caught a miniscule shape departing, soaring towards Selphia. Tiny as the figure was, I was able to discern Venti’s form. However, I couldn’t rejoice yet—it was impossible to tell at that distance if she was alone or if Avani was with her.

“It… it’s Venti, flying towards the town. But I can’t tell if Avani is with her or not—she’s too far away!” I exclaimed in frustration as I stumbled towards the ladder. Volkanon grabbed my arm and forced another large portion of dried fruits into my hands, insisting I eat it before trying to walk. I bolted it and immediately felt reenergized. We all hurried back down the tower, keeping an eye out for the dragon’s form in the sky.

* * *

 

Finally as we emerged from the barren no-man’s lands around the tower into the lush greenness of the Selphia Plains, Venti soared overhead. Craning my neck, I felt relief wash over me, leaving me giddy—there on her back, clinging to her neck, was Avani, her hair rippling out behind her like a silky green banner. The others jumped and danced with glee, but all I could do was stand there, grinning like an idiot as I waved to her. When she glanced down and saw me, she raised her hand in a return salute. Then she blew me a kiss, and I felt weak in the knees, such was my elation.

Although I was eager to return to town, we nevertheless traveled more slowly than when we’d departed. I was still fatigued, and the others were tired, too, unused as they were to such activities. When we reached the town gate, Xiao ran on ahead, closely followed by Forte. I felt strangely nervous, though; relieved as I was that Avani appeared to have emerged victorious—and most importantly, _alive_ —I wondered if she would resent that I abandoned her, even if I _was_ following her orders. It was irrational and ridiculous, and I _knew_ it was so. But I couldn’t help myself.

I trailed along behind the others, and by the time I reached the courtyard, Avani was already chatting merrily with them, laughing and smiling her dazzling smile, her luminous green eyes shining. She glanced in my direction as I strolled over, and if I thought she was radiant before, it was as nothing compared to the way her face lit up when she saw me.

“Leo!” she cried, bounding over to me. “I’m so glad to see you! Are you okay? All the time I was fighting, I kept thinking of you and worrying about you. And thank you, Leo, for all your help. I could _never_ have beat him on my own.” She took my hand and gave it a squeeze as she looked up at me, and I smiled at her, my fears quieted for the moment by her evident delight at our reunion.

Everyone started talking at once then, and I laughed, saying, “Okay, okay! Everyone calm down!” Turning back to her, I said, “Thank _you_ , My Lady. I’m glad that we chose you to bear our hopes.”

Just then, Margaret and Arthur came hurrying up. “Oh, _there_ you are, Avani! And everyone else is with you—perfect!”

“What’s up? Is anything wrong?” Avani asked, concern dimming her glow for a moment.

“No, no. Nothing of the sort,” Arthur interjected. “Will you all please come to the restaurant?”

“Why? What’s going on?” asked Forte and Xiao in unison.

Margaret laughed, and flinging her arms wide open, she exclaimed, “We’re having a _party_! To celebrate Avani’s victory and Venti’s recovery, of course! So come on! Porco and Dylas are going all out, cooking up masses of special dishes for the occasion, and Porco’s even breaking out some of his best wine! So hurry _up_ , let’s get the party started!”

Avani laughed, a sweet, trilling laugh like a cheerfully babbling brook. “Then Venti will be there, too, right?”

Shaking his head, Arthur replied, “No, sadly the Lady Ventuswill will not be joining us. She says she needs to rest, and besides, she points out that she wouldn’t really fit in the restaurant.”

I chuckled at the thought of her squeezing into Porcoline’s. “Well, that’s certainly true enough.” I smiled at Avani, adding, “Go on ahead, My Lady. We’ll join you as soon as we’ve spoken with Venti.” She gave me a quick squeeze, then ran off with Margaret to her rooms to clean up and change out of her battle gear while Arthur returned to the restaurant. I crossed the courtyard and pushed open the doors to Venti’s chamber, holding them open for the others as they filed in.

Once again I held back while each of the others greeted Venti in turn, chatting with her and expressing their joy at her recovery. As they took their leave of her, they hurried out the door, eager to join the festivities. Soon I was the only one left with her.

She turned her head to look at me, her eyes whirling slowly. “Leon. Thank you for all you have done, not just for me, but for Avani as well—though I am certain she will find her own way of expressing her gratitude.”

I gave her a half smile and sauntered over to her. “I’d say you’re welcome, but you know it’s my duty as Dragon Priest to see to your well-being.”

She snorted. “As if you’re fooling anyone, anyway.” Then in a softer voice, “Don’t let your fears get the better of you, Leon. This is very unlike your normal, brash, overconfident self.”

I shrugged one shoulder. “Perhaps. But I can’t….” I trailed off, reluctant to give voice to my thoughts.

“You can’t forgive yourself for what you persist in viewing as your desertion; for not being able to give Avani what you feel she wants, needs, and deserves; and, perhaps most of all, simply for loving her. Isn’t that right?”

My eyes opened wide. “H-how did you…?”

“When you channeled your hopes, your wishes, and your prayers to Avani through my charm, I sensed all that lay within your mind and your heart. Don’t forget that charm is a piece of _me_ , and I am acutely aware of all that concerns it. You fear that she won’t forgive you for leaving her behind. Isn’t that so?”

I bent my head and slowly nodded. “I… I despise myself for abandoning her when she needed me. Even if she ordered me to leave, even if Dylas needed aid, even if the town needed to be warned… all these things may be true, but they don’t excuse the fact that some part… some little, shameful, cowardly part deep inside me was _glad_ to leave—glad to get out of there and save my own worthless hide, even if it meant leaving her to continue the fight alone. And if _I_ can’t forgive myself for that, how can I expect _her_ to forgive me?”

She slowly stretched out her wing, then gently brushed the tips of her flight feathers against my cheek, lifting my face to look with glimmering blue-green eyes into mine. “No, you’re right. She will _never_ forgive you…” I hung my head again as shame and a sense of loss again washed over me. “…because to _her_ , there’s nothing _to_ forgive. She’d marvel at your shame and would never be able to understand how you could feel so. To her, it’s very straightforward and simple. She asked—begged, even—for you to do something, and you did it. It wouldn’t matter to her that you were, on some small level, glad to go, because she _knows_ that she can depend on you when it counts—that you’ll do whatever needs to be done, even at personal risk. If she’d asked you to stay, or to return, she knows that you would have done so despite your fears. And _you_ know it, too.”

She folded her wing again and slowly swung her tail side to side, her eyes half closed in thought. “I also saw _her_ heart—saw it _clearly_ , for the first time. I won’t tell you _what_ I saw there, because there is no need. You already know, don’t you? Even if you won’t admit it to yourself, let alone to anyone else, you _know_ what lies there, nestled like a precious jewel within her heart of hearts.”

She sighed and looked sadly at me, her eyes becoming tinged with violet. “I know of your promise, Leon. And I say to you, a promise—no matter _how_ sincere—does not outlast the grave. When _she_ died, you were released from your promise.”

I scowled and looked away again. “You think it’s _only_ that vow that binds me? If it were that simple, there would be no problem.”

She shifted in a manner suggestive of a shrug—if a dragon _could_ shrug—and said, “You’re making things far more difficult than necessary.” She lowered her head so that she lay with her snout nearly touching my chest. “You know how _you_ feel. You know how _she_ feels. Go to her, Leon—she’s waiting for _you_.” Then she lay her head down and closed her eyes; the interview was over.

* * *

 

I joined the party in the restaurant—the last of the latecomers. I was gratified by the enthusiastic reception awaiting me when I walked through the door, particularly the way Avani leaped at me and flung her arms around my neck. There was drinking and feasting, music and dancing, laughter and storytelling until late into the night. Avani was kept busy dancing all night—every man in town danced at least one dance with her, and several danced far more. I was able to secure her as a partner on only three occasions, but I didn’t mind—not _too_ much, anyway—as she seemed so happy.

Later, well into the night, I noticed her slipping silently out the door. I smiled to myself—I suspected that she wanted to spend some time alone with Venti. Despite the dragon’s frequent incapacitations, it was clear that the two had developed a very close bond in the two years they’d known each other. I turned away in order to avoid drawing attention to her departure, and in so doing, I saw that the other Guardians had noticed her, too. We gave each other knowing looks and nods and rejoined the festivities.

* * *

 

It was perhaps half an hour after her stealthy departure when I felt a sudden _void_ in my consciousness—something missing that had been there for as long as I could remember. Alarmed, I looked around and saw that the other Guardians likewise were affected, and no one else. The four of us slipped away as unobtrusively as possible, and made haste to the castle.

“You felt it, too?” Dylas called as we raced down Melody Street.

“We _all_ did, you dolt,” Dolce snapped in reply. “That’s why we’re here.” Amber fluttered her wings and exclaimed in alarm as we ran up the steps to the courtyard.

I barged into Venti’s chamber and stopped short, the others falling in beside me. Across the empty dais lay Avani, curled into a ball and sobbing as if her heart would break as she wailed, “Venti, you… you _dummy_! How… how could you ask me to _smile_ at a time like this?”

I knew then that Ventuswill, the Divine Wind—our own dear friend—was gone.


	43. Chapter 43

In the days that followed Venti’s passing, Avani sank into a deep depression. Not only had she lost her dear friend and mentor, but she also blamed herself for her death. The whole town mourned her loss, as was natural and fitting, and we four Guardians who had been her close friends for so long even more so. But none grieved as intensely as Avani.

The words of the townsfolk only added to her misery. Though kindly and well-meaning, they spoke of their loss without thought. Even Dolce and Amber, oblivious in their own grief, compounded hers with their heedless remarks. Dylas and I were the only ones who could see how much she was hurting, but Dylas, who’d never had a way with words even in the best of times, possibly made her feel worst of all.

After we found her collapsed on Venti’s dais, wailing with grief, he and I took her to her room. There she had tearfully pleaded with us to leave her alone, and so we respected her wishes—though I insisted she at least have Baldur there with her. So I brought him from his enclosure to stay by his mistress’s side, first popping over to my room to ask Sano and Uno to keep an unobtrusive eye on her, with instructions to notify me immediately if she had need of me at any time. When we left, she was sitting on the floor before her fireplace, her arms around her wolf, sobbing into his thick, soft fur as he whined and whimpered, licking her and nudging her shoulder with his nose. Sano and Uno sat upright in the two chairs on either side of the fireplace, their tails curled around their paws as they kept silent vigil.

The next day, Dylas and I met outside her door. She let us in, looking on the verge of collapse—as if she hadn’t slept at all that night. She didn’t say a word, just opened the door to let us in, then turned and stumbled slowly back to where Baldur lay curled before the fire. A quick check in with Sano confirmed that she had indeed spent a sleepless night. Dylas sighed as he looked down at her, then he knelt on the floor next to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “Listen,” he said in a gentle voice, “I know it hurts. I miss her, too. But we can’t just keep on moping around forever, can we? You know Venti wouldn’t have wanted that, especially from you. She always loved to see you smile, same as the rest of us. So cheer up, okay? Even if you can’t smile a genuine smile now, just… fake it. Eventually it’ll become real.”

Although it wasn’t terrible advice, it was poorly timed and clumsily delivered. She burst into passionate tears again, pushing his hands away as she buried her face in Baldur’s fur. “Oh, just go away, Dylas—you don’t _get_ it! You don’t understand at _all_!” she cried, her voice muffled by her wolf’s fur.

He rocked back on his heels, startled, then looked up at me. I just nodded, and he rose and left. At the door, he turned back and said, “I really _am_ sorry, Avani. We’ll all miss her… but we miss your smile, too, you know.” Then he left.

I went and sat on the floor next to her and just sat stroking her hair wordlessly, letting her have her cry. Once her tears finally abated, I continued stroking her hair, saying as gently as possible, “It’s okay, My Lady. You’ve every right to cry. Take as long as you need. I know how much Venti meant to you, and how much you meant to her, as well. I think she thought more of you than anyone else in her whole life. I believe Dylas was right in that she wouldn’t want you to suffer on her account… but I think she’d understand, too—and I also think she’d be glad to know that you loved her so much. Don’t worry about what others think or say or do—no one can tell you what you should or shouldn’t feel. Just be yourself, and do things in your own time and your own way. And remember that your friends are here for you—that _I’m_ here for you.”

She sat up, though she avoided my gaze, and nodded as she scooted a little closer and leaned her head against my shoulder. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze, then kissed the top of her head. After a few minutes, she began to droop, and soon she was fast asleep, still leaning against me. I waited a few minutes before I carefully slipped away and stood, then I lifted her up and carried her to her bed. Setting her down gently, I pulled a blanket over her, drew her curtains, called Baldur over to lie on the floor next to her, and asked Sano and Uno to continue to keep watch over her. Then I quietly left to ask Volkanon to be sure she wasn’t disturbed and to ask Vishnal and Clorica to see to her farm chores. After that, I quickly went to my rooms and picked up my translation work, then returned to her rooms to spend the day quietly reading and translating while keeping an eye on her as she slept.

* * *

 

After she awoke, I prepared some grilled shrimp for her and served it along with a slice of Volkanon’s special chocolate cake that he’d brought for her earlier. She mostly just picked at her food, but she did at least eat a little of it. After that, she went to her storeroom, returning with her gear in her arms. She dropped it on the floor and looked at me. In a small voice, still hoarse from crying, she said, “I’m going to go do some fighting.” I set my book aside and stood, saying, “May I come with you, My Lady?” She hesitated, then nodded, and I fetched my gear.

When she donned her gear, I was surprised to see that she had neither her dual swords nor her longsword—only a pair of Dylas’s old gloves, well-worn but still usable. “My Lady?” I said, looking at her questioningly as she slipped them on and tightened them—they were far too large for her petite hands and needed a significant adjustment to the laces just to keep them from sliding off.

She looked up at me, her face expressionless and her eyes dull, and just shrugged. “I thought I’d branch out a little,” was all the explanation she offered. She also went light on the armor, wearing only her new breastplate over her clothing. A few minutes later, we were heading to the airship.

I’d hoped that, given how lightly equipped she was and that she was using a less-familiar fighting style, that she’d pick someplace relatively easy. So I felt uneasy when she asked the pilot to set a course for the floating fortress. Although soldiers had been dispatched to take control of the islands, they had not been very successful, and bands of monsters still roamed the platforms. These monsters were powerful, far more powerful than I felt was wise under the circumstances. Still, I held my tongue, intending instead to provide all the backup I could for her. After all, my own guilt still rankled fresh in my mind, leaving me feeling as though it wasn’t my place to pick her fights, as well as possibly hoping, albeit subconsciously, for the opportunity to expiate some of my shame.

* * *

 

As a priest, I had heard my fair share of confessions and confidences and helped many a grieving soul. However, I had experienced very little in the way of grief _personally_ , nor had I ever been called up to assist a loved one suffering from the guilt of the survivor. My personal experiences were of little use to me—only my knowledge of human nature was of any relevance. Some people, I had learned, responded to the pain of loss with anger, others tried to numb it with alcohol or other substances. Still others turned from their sorrow by celebrating the life of those they had lost—especially with fond memories or with continuing some work or hobby that was important to them. And a common response to death was the urge to reaffirm life by finding solace in the arms of another.

Avani fell into none of these groups. It appeared that she chose to deal with Venti’s passage by grimly staring Death in the face at every opportunity—as if daring him to come and take her, too. She fought coldly, ruthlessly… and to my alarm, recklessly. Had she been alone, she no doubt would have been in sorry shape, if she survived at all. Nevertheless, I admired her skill—despite wearing so little armor and using unfamiliar, inferior weaponry, she was like an angel of death herself, and she left a trail of devastation wherever she set foot.

* * *

 

This pattern continued for a few weeks. It took its toll on her—and on me, too, to be frank. She wanted nothing but to fight—she ate only when food was pushed at her, bathed only when I half-dragged her to the bathhouse, slept only when she was no longer able to stand. After the first week, she allowed no one to come near her but me—not even Dylas. And while she accepted my presence, even in her bed, she turned away from even the faintest suggestion of intimacy, shrinking from my embrace, brushing my hand aside if I reached out to her, turning her back to me when we lay in bed.

After three weeks, she had grown haggard and thin, though more muscular due to her recent surfeit of combat. And while she no longer wept, she seemed almost devoid of emotion altogether, as if all sensibility had been sealed away and she was becoming more mechanical than human. Clorica and Vishnal now did all her farm work for her, having been granted special dispensation to do so by Volkanon while Avani struggled with her overwhelming grief. So she rose early, ate if I gave her food—though even then only lightly—suited up in little, or at times, even no armor, and headed out to fight for the day. She fought until she was on the verge of collapse, stopping to rest or eat only at my insistence.

Due to her affection for us, Lin kindly gave me special permission to use the baths any hour of the day for the time being, so when we returned to town, I’d walk her to her rooms to drop off our equipment and get clean clothing—often just our pajamas and robes if the weather was warm and dry, since by that time everyone else was already asleep anyway—then I’d lead her to the baths. At first, I just left her to manage on her own, but I quickly discovered that she didn’t really bathe, then. At most, she’d give her hair a quick rinse, perhaps splash her face with water. So, since there was no chance of interruption so late in the night, I began bringing her into the men’s baths with me, so that I could be sure she washed properly and had a soak to ease her aching muscles. She tolerated my assistance, but neither did she request it.

Afterwards, I would tuck her into bed and then lay staring into the darkness, still and silent by her side, wondering how in the name of the Native Dragons I was going to help her through this. My own former worries and fears about the final battle against Ethelberd—how I’d taken Dylas and fled, leaving her to face him alone—had long since receded in the face of graver concerns.

* * *

 

Finally, as the one-season anniversary of Ethelberd’s defeat and Venti’s death approached, I decided that things couldn’t go on as they were much longer. Not only was I worried sick about Avani, but Dylas and all the other townsfolk were deeply concerned, too. After the initial shock wore off, they had realized that their wistful remarks were, to Avani, as a twist of the knife blade in her heart. Afterwards, they refrained from their reminiscences and instead attempted to cheer her. But again, few comprehended the strength of the bond between the two. Even if their words caused less pain, they also brought no comfort, and she withdrew from them, holding her pain close within herself. Distressed by her decline, everyone endeavored to find a way to rouse her from her numbing grief. So with the help of the townspeople, I devised a plan.

On the day of the anniversary of both her victory and her loss, I refused to allow her to leave town, as had become customary for her. I reminded her that, for the past season, the butlers had been doing all her work for her. Then I told her no one was available to assist her that morning, so she would have to do her work herself. She allowed me to pull her out the door and to her fields, where I guided her through her chores. She had all but forgotten what to do, so at first she was slow and clumsy. But once again her limbs recalled what her mind had forgotten, and by the time she reached the last of her fields, she was moving with far greater ease and efficiency—though not yet back to her full capability.

Next, I walked her through her barns. She had expanded her first barn to its maximum size, and it now held five rooms with a total of twenty monsters. In addition, she had built a second barn and expanded it to two rooms, holding an additional six monsters. I handed her grooming brush to her and pushed her towards her eager, gentle woolies as they bleated and crowded in close to her, trembling with delight to see her after so long an absence. I continued on with her, taking her through each room and watching as she groomed each creature. At first she only brushed them—a brief, bare-bones grooming. By the third room, she was speaking a few words to each monster as she groomed it. Before she reached the last room, where she kept Baldur and her golden Hunter wolf, Fenrir, she was not merely talking to each as she groomed them, but petting them as well.

But it was when she beheld Baldur that it finally began to sink in. He was so utterly ecstatic to see her, whining and quivering as his tail thumped the ground hard enough to create tiny whirlwinds. He hadn’t seen her since the night Venti died, and he’d missed her sorely. He was her especial, adored pet, and in some slight way, she was to the intelligent beast what Venti had been to her—a mentor, a companion, and a beloved friend.

When she saw him standing before her, so unequivocally overjoyed to see her, without a trace of reproach or hurt dimming the adoration in his cobalt eyes, she suddenly recalled how long she’d neglected him—neglected everything and everyone—and broke down in tears as she threw her arms around his neck and wept for the first time in nearly three weeks. Not the heartbroken, abandoned howls that had racked her night and day for the first day or so, but cleansing, healing tears. I felt then that all would be well… but I had yet to make certain.

After her chores were done, I took her to the baths for a long soak. I couldn’t help her at that hour, of course, as there were other patrons coming and going. But I asked Xiao to keep an eye on her and help her if she needed it—and to be sure she got _really_ clean. It turned out that she did fine on her own this time, and on the way back to her rooms afterwards, she even shyly took my hand and leaned slightly against my arm as we walked. I felt my heart leap into my throat and a haze of moisture clouded my vision momentarily, but I only smiled merrily at her as we turned down the steps to her gardens.

Back in her rooms, I selected an outfit for her that I knew she especially liked and that was flattering on her: a sundress in a pretty lilac floral print that brought out the soft green of her eyes. The style was very forgiving to her altered appearance—her sinewy limbs and gaunt figure were softened by the softly clinging fabric of the gown. I then called for Clorica, who happily combed Avani’s still-damp hair and twisted it into an elaborate braid interwoven with fresh summer blooms. When she was done, she departed with a sunny smile in acknowledgement of Avani’s timid thanks. I handed some heavy walking shoes to her, and was thrilled when she gave me a mildly reproachful look and put them back, picking up a pair of light sandals instead. It felt wonderful to see her show some interest in herself again.

“Well, then, My Lady. I think it’s high time I treat you to lunch. How long has it been since we’ve been on a date? Far too long, anyway. So let’s get a move on—the lunch rush should be starting shortly.” She looked surprised, not to mention hesitant, but after a pause, she nodded agreement. She had spoken hardly a word, other than while grooming her monsters, but I didn’t mind. She was slowly emerging from her shell at long last, and that was all that mattered.

We arrived at the restaurant, and I opened the door and hurried her on in. Once inside, she stopped stock still, staring. The entire town was there, cheering and exclaiming in joy at her arrival. Tables were laden with food and drink, and two massive cakes were displayed at the front counter: one decorated to depict a triumphant Avani, the other with Venti’s visage. Since her feet appeared to have rooted to the ground, the people of Selphia instead came to her, each hugging her, expressing their gratitude for her victory, and remembering some little anecdote or other about her as well as about Venti. She stood virtually motionless, returning hugs and listening as if on auto-pilot.

Dylas waited until last. His hug was longer and more heart-felt than any of the others, and there were tears in his eyes as he spoke to her. He leaned down to give her a little kiss, and for once, she didn’t turn her back to him or push him away. When he left, she turned to look at me, and tears shone in her eyes, too, reflecting pain and grief and joy and gratitude all at once. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words caught in her throat, and she turned and bolted through the door.

I’d suspected that would happen, and so I’d warned Margaret and Dylas of the possibility in advance while we planned this event. I chased after her as she fled towards her room, taking the longer route through town in her heedless flight. Back in her rooms, she turned to me and threw her arms around my neck, sobbing. I lifted her up and carried her to her sofa, then I sat down with her and let her cry. Once she had quieted a little, I explained that everyone had wanted to have a celebration for her as well as a memorial of sorts for Venti. I told her how everyone had been so worried for her—how deeply everyone cared for her and wanted her to be happy again.

She shook her head as she buried her face in my chest. “No… no, you don’t understand. It’s all my fault—I couldn’t save her. I tried—I tried so _hard_ , Leo. But my best… my best wasn’t good enough. Even with everyone’s help, I _still_ couldn’t save her. She’s gone, and it’s _my_ fault she’s gone, and everyone blames me for it. I _know_ they do—I heard the things they said afterwards.”

I cradled her face in my hands and looked into her eyes. “No, My Lady. You heard the _words_ , but the _meanings_ escaped you. No one—not one single person—blames you for Venti’s death. Look at me, dear heart—I speak to you now not as your friend, though I am that, nor as your lover, though I am most certainly that as well. I speak to you now as a priest—Venti’s priest, at that. Listen to me. Venti did _exactly_ as she wanted to do. She was fully aware of the risk she took, but she chose to take it anyway. Not because she felt compelled, not even just to save you—though for that, too. She did it because it was what she _wanted_ to do—because she was tired of sitting by and letting everyone do things for her, as she had done all her life. Because she wanted to know the exhilaration of risking everything for those she loved—for _all_ of us—even if it cost her dearly. She had tired of the safe, sheltered life she’d always led. You aren’t responsible for her death, you’re responsible for the one chance of living that she was able to reach out and grasp. You didn’t _kill_ her—you set her _free_.”

She broke down then, much as she had that morning when she saw Baldur. I sat and stroked her hair and her cheek and rubbed her back as she sobbed. When her weeping subsided, I leaned down and very gently kissed her. Somewhat to my surprise, she responded hungrily—finally awakening in my arms after so many weeks. And so we joined in a celebration and affirmation of both life and living in the time-honored fashion: embraced in each other’s arms.

* * *

 

It was more than two hours later that we rejoined the party, and when we walked in, I could see relief in everyone’s eyes as they turned to us and beheld her changed demeanor. This time, she went and greeted each villager in person, mingling and laughing as of old, and again her eyes sparkled—though there were new traces of both wisdom and pain contained within their celadon depths—and again her smile dazzled—though there was now a hint of bittersweetness in the corners of her mouth. And when she laughed, her laugh was no longer as the tinkling of a carefree, babbling brook, but more the melodious murmuring of a river that has endured the storms and prevailed. Like such a river, Avani was a survivor—and I knew now that she was going to be just fine.


	44. Chapter 44

I hadn’t had much time to ponder my own predicament, as it had taken a back seat to Avani’s crisis. But soon after the night of the party, once things had more or less returned to normal, I found myself thinking about Avani even more than usual, and recalling my last conversation with Venti. And… thinking of Maria, which inevitably led to guilt and back to thoughts of Avani. I was trapped in a vicious circle, and I didn’t know how to escape.

Furthermore, I couldn’t help but notice that Avani had been spending less and less time with Dylas since her recovery. One day, I finally commented on it. “My Lady, hasn’t it been a while since you last spent some, ahh, ‘quality time’ with Dylas? Or have I just been rather unobservant recently?” I asked her as we sat reading one summer evening.

She blushed a little, then shrugged. “I highly doubt that you’ve ever been unobservant in your life, Leo. But yes, you’re right. When I… when I was so depressed after Venti’s… after she passed on, I pretty much stopped seeing him then. I couldn’t stand to have _anyone_ near me during that time, except you—I felt like you were the only one who understood how I was feeling at all. And even though I knew Dylas _meant_ well… like everyone else, he only made things worse. So I avoided him, just like I avoided everyone but you. And somehow… somehow after things got better, I realized I hadn’t really missed him all that much. So… I had a talk with him and told him that it was over between us. I felt badly, really, because I _do_ love him. I just… I just don’t love him _that_ way anymore. I feel like he’s only a friend now—a very good friend, but nothing more.”

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “I must have been unusually obtuse if I failed to notice _that_ —I’m sure he couldn’t have hidden his feelings well. He never does.”

She sighed. “No, he didn’t take it well. He was deeply hurt. Afterwards, he just… vanished for a few days. I suspect he returned to the ruins of the old water shrine to the east, where I rescued him. When he came back to town, he had himself more or less under control, but he still looks so… _wounded_. But there was no use in pretending, and I’ve always tried my best to be honest with both of you. Hopefully he’ll get over me soon and move on. He’s got his faults, but he’s more like a diamond in the rough, I believe—and I think one day he’ll make _someone_ very happy. It just won’t be me.”

I thought about that for a minute. The significance of her choosing to remain with me while breaking off her relationship with Dylas was not entirely lost on me, and I recalled Venti’s comment about what lay deep within her heart. And I must admit, I felt more than a little panicked at the idea. While she’d had two lovers, I had been able to convince myself that she wasn’t too serious about me, and that one day she would ride off into the sunset at another man’s side—leaving me alone once again. But now that she had forsaken all others besides me, everything had changed. And frankly, it scared me… because I wasn’t fit to be the guardian of _anyone’s_ happiness.

* * *

 

The next morning, after my bath, I asked Lin if she’d be so kind as to pack a picnic lunch for two for me. She seemed surprised by my request, but she didn’t ask any questions as she assembled my basket. I had decided I needed to step back a little and think… and I wanted to think things through where it all started—and with whom it all started.

An hour later, I was seated on the ground before the sealed entrance to the ancient tower of Leon Karnak—or as it would be styled in the modern terminology, “Leon’s Durance”, so named as it was used to contain my Guardian form. The original tower itself was far more ancient, but it had lost all significance and identity by my time. The Earthmates, sensing that it was placed atop a wellspring of runic power, had restored it for use as my prison.

I laid out the picnic and sat facing the tower’s great door, lost in thought and memory while I ate. “Maria,” I said after some time had passed, “I don’t know if you can somehow hear me from wherever you are, but… I want to apologize for causing you so much pain so long ago. I was… selfish. I only wanted to stop you from crying and to see you smile. I didn’t think about what I was doing or saying, and that was wrong of me. I shouldn’t have tried to change you.

“Years later when I became a Guardian… it was only then that I realized… realized how much my promise meant to you, how seriously you had taken it. By then it was too late, and so I left you on your own. That, too was wrong.

“So I swore that, having broken my promise to you, I would never make such a promise to any other—that I would live out my days alone, honoring my promise as best I could. It didn’t feel right to be happy myself when I had left you so unhappy. But then….”

I paused, and as I hesitated, suddenly I heard Avani’s voice hailing me. I jumped up and looked down the slope, and there she was, striding briskly up the path towards me, the wind playing through her long locks as she approached. Her eyes sparkled in the brilliant sunshine, and she smiled her dazzling smile for me.

“My Lady?” I called to her. “What is it? Why have you come here?”

“Oh, well… you see, Kiel was looking for you. He… he has some papers he’d like you to translate for him as soon as you can. I brought them with me….” She pulled out a couple pages of old script and handed them to me. I looked at her as I took them, and thought she looked anxious.

“Thank you, My Lady. I’ll look at them and talk to Kiel later. Is… there anything else? You look as though you have something on your mind.”

“Well, I… I just wondered….”

“Yes? What is it?”

She turned bright red and looked away. Seeing my picnic on the ground nearby, she stared at it for a moment. “I… wondered who… why a picnic for _two_? I mean,” she added hastily, “Lin and Xiao both assumed I was accompanying you, so….”

I smiled at her. “Is that all?” She nodded. I caressed her cheek, then tilted her face up to look into her eyes. “There’s no one. I….” I released her and sighed. “I just wanted to pretend that there was.”

“Oh?” She looked confused, and bit her lip as she hesitated for moment. “Why… here particularly?”

I turned and led her to the entrance. “Take a look at this, My Lady.”

Stepping closer, she looked up at the great door. “Wow… there’s so many names carved here!”

“Take a look up there, way at the top—those two names there.”

“They… they’re written in some other language. I can’t read them…. What do they say?”

“That one on the left says ‘Leon’.” She turned to look at me in surprise. “And that one to the right says ‘Maria’.”

“Maria?”

“Yes.” I sighed again. “She passed away centuries ago, of course. We were friends from an early age, growing up together. I was a few years older than her, and I always thought of her almost as a little sister—annoying but adorable. I used to look out for her, just like a big brother, and she’d follow me all over, just like a baby sister. I was probably the only one who thought she was adorable though… she was something of a crybaby, and most people found her irritating.”

“Yes?” Avani said, encouragingly, as she looked back up at our names carved near the top of the door.

“Then one day, she was crying over some trivial matter—another child picking on her, probably, or maybe she’d been scolded for something or another. I don’t recall why she started crying, but I just couldn’t get her to stop. So finally… I told her that if she would only stop crying, I’d give her whatever she wanted.

“So she stopped and looked up at me and said, ‘Really? Whatever I want? Then, when we grow up, will you marry me?’” Avani quickly turned to look at me, startled. “Well, I was just a kid, so I said ‘Sure, I’ll marry you. Just stop crying!’ Then as a reminder of that promise, we carved our names here, using the old language we’d just recently discovered—a sort of a secret code to us.

“Pretty silly, wasn’t it? I didn’t think much about it at the time—it was just a kid thing to me, and I soon forgot. But she… she never cried again after that. Not when I teased her, not when she was sad, not even when she was injured. Never a tear did she shed.

“She didn’t even cry the day I became a Guardian. Everyone came to say farewell to me—my friends, my family, my fellow priests and priestesses—everyone in the area was there. And there she stood all alone near the back, behind all my family and friends, looking as though she would burst into tears at any moment. She just… _looked_ at me. And that—that’s when I realized… that silly promise I’d made to her all those years before… she took it _seriously_. She believed in it—believed in _me_.”

I sat down and leaned my head against the door. “I… I’m such an idiot. That sweet child, whom I thought of as nothing more than a little sister… was in love with me, had spent her whole life trying to live up to her part of the promise, trusting that I’d follow through with mine.” I closed my eyes, remembering again the look in her eyes that day. “That’s the last thing I remember, you know—before being sealed. Her eyes, full of unshed tears.” Avani sat down next to me and put her hands on my arm. I opened my eyes again and looked at her, unspoken apology and regret in my eyes. “Anyway, that’s why I swore I’d never marry. It… it seemed too cruel, to just go blithely on with my life without her. I just can’t… I _have_ to keep my word, even though I know it won’t change anything now.”

I stood again, and held out a hand to help her to her feet. She looked thoughtful and abashed as I pulled her up. “I’m sorry I had to tell you all this. Are… you jealous?”

She turned her sea-green eyes to me, then blushed and looked away. “Please don’t ask me that, Leo.”

I smiled at her. “As you wish, My Lady. You really _are_ too adorable—but I suppose this isn’t really the time for teasing.” I looked up at our names again. “You know… as much as the memory hurts, it’s still precious to me. I suppose that’s why I wanted you to know. I… wouldn’t want to forget her. I was the one that stole her tears—the one that abandoned her.” I reached up and gently ran my fingertips over the carven words. “I’m so sorry, Maria,” I whispered. “Sorry I left you all alone, and sorry I broke my promise to you.”

I stepped back and looked at Avani, who was watching me apprehensively. “Tell me, My Lady… do you regret your decision? Do you wish you’d never become involved with me? After learning about my past—about Maria—can you still look me in the eyes and honestly say that you love me?”

She took my hands in hers, and looking me straight in the eyes, her gaze unblinking and unwavering, she said, “Yes, Leo. I do love you. Of course I do—nothing could change that.”

I felt my cheeks flush at her frank words and gaze. “A-anyway, I hadn’t actually planned to tell you—or anyone—about her. I thought I’d just keep her a secret and bear the burden alone. But then when I saw you here, I felt I just had to share that part of me with you, even if it doesn’t change anything—even if it doesn’t make any difference.”

She squeezed my hands, saying, “Oh, but it does, Leo.” I looked at her in surprise. “You have a past that I know nothing about—that’s true of everyone, of course. I mean, no one knows _everything_ about anyone else. But the fact that your past pains me, that it hurts my heart, shows me how much I’ve come to love you. I don’t think I’d even realized just how much until I heard your story, so that’s one thing that knowing about Maria has changed.”

“Are you serious? Do you… do you really mean that?” I said, feeling both elated and fearful.

“Yes, without a doubt—I love you with all my heart and soul, with every fiber of my being.” I must have looked uncertain, because she smiled reassuringly at me as she continued. “Love can come in as many shapes and sizes as there are people to love and be loved. Each and every love is unique. And love can bring as much heartache and pain as it does joy and pleasure, because only when you love someone do you open yourself up completely—lay bare your heart to another. But the important thing is, whatever it might bring, for good or for ill—I love you. It’s as simple as that.”

I smiled gratefully and ruffled her hair. “You… make quite a case, My Lady. I must say, it’s always a joy to spend time with you. I’ve learned a lot about these modern times from you—for example, that women now are far more aggressive than women in my day, and also that no matter what the mood, there’s never a time when saying something embarrassing becomes less embarrassing.” She blushed, and I went on. “And also… how very hard it is that I can’t get any closer to you.”

She looked dismayed at that and quickly looked away—but not quickly enough that I didn’t see the pain and grief in her eyes. I took a deep breath and let go of her hands as I looked at the door to the tower. “I… think I’m going to stay here for a while and… and talk to Maria. After all, we have a lot of catching up to do.”

I looked back at her, and she gave me a hesitant smile. “Okay, Leo. I’ll see you later.” Then she was gone, scrambling back down the rocky path to the plains below.

After she left, I leaned against the tower door, thinking back over all that we’d said—and hadn’t said. Then I suddenly remembered the papers she’d brought me, and sat by the remains of my picnic, where I’d set them. Looking them over, I was astounded… the words were very familiar, and I wondered briefly where and how Kiel had found them. But I found I really wasn’t able to focus on translating the words, as much as I wanted to. I kept going back to Avani’s words to me….

“‘I love you with all my heart and soul, with every fiber of my being,’ she says,” I thought out loud. “And… I want so much to get closer—to love her back with my whole heart, and to truly be with her. But… how could I? How could I be so callous to Maria, after all the pain I caused her? And yet… and yet….” Once again, I found myself torn between duty and desire, and my soul was tormented.


	45. Chapter 45

I returned to town that evening and headed to Avani’s rooms in the castle. I knew what I needed to do, though I dreaded the prospect. She was there, sitting with a book held loosely in her hand as she waited for me to return, and she eagerly jumped up when I walked in.

“Oh, Leo! There you are! I was starting to worry just an eensy little bit,” she exclaimed as she threw her arms around my neck.

I gave her a light kiss, then stepped back. “I… I’m sorry, My Lady. I’m going to be returning to my room at the inn for the time being.” She looked searchingly into my eyes, baffled and hurt. I swallowed hard—this was even more difficult than I’d imagined. Hastily, I gave her my prepared excuse. “I have some work that Arthur wants done as quickly as possible, so you see, I need to be in a place where I can concentrate. The castle tends to be rather… bustling—butlers and visitors and so on coming and going all day. So….”

She nodded, accepting my excuse without question, though whether she saw through it or not, I could not tell. She smiled weakly at me, saying, “Then I hope you are able to finish it quickly and return to me. I’ll… I’ll miss you, Leo.” Then she turned and fled out her back door, leaving me feeling more torn and guilty than ever.

* * *

 

I had accumulated quite a collection of my possessions in her rooms—clothing, books, scrolls, scribing materials, and an assortment of odds and ends that I’d collected on various adventures since I’d more or less taken up residence in the castle. Even the foxes had moved in, sleeping in the study when the daybed was not needed for a guest, and on the sofa or the chairs in the main chamber when it was. They had even become friendly with Baldur, after some initial hostility on his part and caution on theirs. In fact, it wasn’t until I attempted to disentangle myself from Avani’s home that I realized just how deeply intertwined our lives had become… nor had I quite realized how painful that separation would be until the moment arrived.

I spent the rest of the evening alone in my room at the inn, lost in thoughts both old and new, my foxes lying curled against me. They had been reproachful at first when I told them we were returning to the inn for the time being, but they appeared to have finished with their recriminations and were content to leave me to my own, which more than sufficed.

* * *

 

Early the next morning, I started to work on translating the pages Kiel had brought me. However, by the time I was halfway through the first page, I realized why it had seemed so very familiar at first glance yesterday: it was _my_ story—mine and Maria’s. I also realized that, if I continued on, I might at last learn just what had become of her after I became a Guardian. And the thought of that petrified me. I leaned back, staring in dismay at the pages before me. Then I quickly gathered them up and bolted through town to Kiel’s house.

When he opened the door to me, still in his pyjamas and yawning sleepily, I hastily shoved the papers at him. “I’m sorry, Kiel. I… I can’t read any more. Please take them.” Then I turned and left as hastily as I’d arrived, fleeing to the solitude of my room. As terrible as it was to not know… it was far better to be able to imagine a happy life for her in my present state of uncertainty, than to have my fears that she had lived and died in miserable solitude confirmed.

Arthur stopped by shortly afterwards to see how I was progressing. Sitting at my desk with my head in my hands, I didn’t even look up as I said, “I’m sorry, Arthur. I… need to take a break from this for a while.”

There was a pause, then he said, slowly, “Well, Leon, if you feel you need to stop for now, then so be it. I must say it’s most unlike you to set a task aside unfinished, so I assume that you have your reasons. Please do let me know when you feel able to pick up your work again, will you?”

I nodded, and he left, closing the door gently behind him. I heard his footsteps fading away down the stairs, then a short while later, another set of footsteps treading up them. Soon there was a knock on my door, and Avani stepped in.

“Leo?” she asked, sounding concerned. “I just talked to Arthur. Is… everything all right? Is it something to do with the translation?” I just sat there, still holding my head in silence, unable to answer. “Was… was it Maria who…?”

I looked up then, my eyes wide with surprise. “Did you… read it?” She nodded, and I gave her a half smile. She always had been something of a busybody, so I shouldn’t have been at all surprised that she’d sussed it out. “You’re a clever little thing, you know that? But yes, you’re probably right. It most likely was written by Maria—no one else knew about our promise, and the odds of someone else having the exact same story are, well… very slim, to say the least.”

I sighed and leaned back, closing my eyes. “Anyway, the second page appears to be a continuation of the first. So if I were to read it… I might find out what happened to Maria. And the thought terrifies me. I mean, what if her whole life was ruined because of that foolish promise? What if she died alone and unhappy? I don’t know if I could bear it. The look in her eyes when I left—what if she lived out the rest of her days suffering just as she was then? The mere thought of it chills me to the bone. And if she did… if she _did_ suffer all her life because of me… then how could I possibly live a happy life now, without her, knowing what I did to her?”

I took a deep breath and stood up. I took her hand and looked into her bewildered eyes. “So I… I’ve decided that I have to suppress my feelings for you. I can’t do it to her—I can’t let myself be happy if she herself led a joyless existence.” I looked away, unable to bear the sight of the tears in her eyes. “But… it’s so hard to hold fast to my resolve when I’m with you. It’s too much—I want to hold you, to touch you…. I want so much to be with you, yet I also want to abide by my promise, at least to the best of my abilities. I’m torn, as if I were at war with myself—and there is no end in sight, neither relief nor succor to be had. I need some time, My Lady, to work things out in my head—to try to come to some resolution. So… will you leave me, please, at least for a while?”

Then I turned away from the pain in her eyes and slumped into my chair, again burying my head in my hands. After a few moments, she kissed me softly on top of my head between my drooping ears, then she left without another word, softly closing the door behind her.

* * *

 

Xiao and Lin attempted to bring me meals a few times, but I turned them away—I had no interest in food. I spent a sleepless night, tossing and turning to such an extent that even my foxes soon became fed up and retired to the floor—preferring even that to my restlessness.

The next morning, Avani again came to my door, knocking and entering. I raised my head to look at her tiredly from where I sat on the edge of my bed. “Forgive me, My Lady. Will you please leave me?” I said, then hung my head and closed my eyes, waiting to hear her footsteps as she departed.

However, there was no sound of her retreating, and after a pause, she gently but firmly said, “No.” I looked up at her, startled by her unexpected refusal. “How can I leave you at a time like this—how can I just walk away and leave you alone, sitting there with that look on your face? When someone I love is hurting, I want to _help_ them. I could _never_ abandon them and leave them to suffer. When I… when I was in so much pain after Venti died, you never left my side. Even when I didn’t exactly welcome you or even ignored you, even when I wasn’t capable of taking care of myself, even though all I wanted to do was to fight and fight and fight, halfway hoping that death would overtake me…. No matter what, you stuck with me. Why would you think I wouldn’t do the same for you?

“I know I’m not Maria. I never knew her, and I don’t know what she was like—what she thought or felt. But… if she loved you as I do, maybe she thought some of the same things I’m thinking now. Maybe, like me, she’d have wanted to be right here with you, thinking things through with you, trying to figure it all out and getting confused along with you, right by your side. But even though I’ll never be her, and even though maybe I can’t really help all that much… still, I want to try to help you in my own way—to be here for you and to be with you.”

She looked into my eyes for a moment, her brow furrowed in concern. “A-am I… am I butting in too much?”

I looked at her contemplatively. “Yeah… you are.” She bit her lip and looked down at the floor. “But… I like it. Knowing how much you care, knowing I’m not alone… it gives me strength.” She looked up again with a hopeful look. “Tell me, My Lady, what sounds sweetest to your ears? To return home and say to the one who waits for you, ‘I’m home’? Or to wait for someone to return to you and say to him, ‘Welcome home’?”

With a baffled look, she said, “What does…”

“Just humor me,” I interrupted.

She thought for a moment. “Both are nice, but I think I prefer coming home to find someone waiting for me to waiting at home for someone to arrive. So I’ll go with ‘I’m home. There’s just something about being welcomed home, rather than coming back to a cold, dark, empty room—it’s nice.”

I nodded and smiled at her. “I had a feeling that would be your choice. You really aren’t the sort to just sit around and wait for something to happen—you go out and _make_ them happen. Fine, then. When all this is through… let’s return to the tower together. And when we do, you’re going to make me tell you _everything_ —no more hiding my feelings, I promise, My Lady.”

Her eyes lit up. “Then…. Okay, it’s a deal.” And she smiled her beautiful smile for me.

I rose and tucked her hand into my arm. “Well, now. I think first I need to go see Kiel about those pages. It’s time to finish that translation.”


	46. Chapter 46

Avani and I arrived just as Kiel was about to leave his house. “Oh, hi! What are you two up to today?” he asked, pausing on the threshold.

“Well, for starters, I haven’t yet finished that translation,” I replied with a smile.

“Huh? But I thought you said you couldn’t read any more?” he said, scratching his head and looking confused.

“That was then, this is now—and now I can read more of it.”

“Umm… okay, I don’t really understand what happened, but I’m guessing you had a hand in this?” he said, turning to Avani with a smile. She blushed and looked up at me.

“Yes, you might say that,” I laughed. “Now, may I have that second page?”

“Oh, sure…” he scampered off to his desk and rummaged around for a moment. “Ahh, here it is!” He returned and handed me the page.

I scanned it, noting that on this page there was a triangle in the lower corner. I sat at his table and he handed me a pen and ink. I began to jot down my translation as I read it through, and I summarized it to Avani and Kiel as I wrote.

“As I suspected, it continues the tale from the previous page. It says here that the girl stopped crying after the promise was made, never so much as shedding a tear. But then after they grew up, the man went on a long, long journey to save the townsfolk from a crisis—so long that they both knew they would never see each other again. Then on the day he left, she went to see him off, still refusing to cry even though all around her were in tears. She struggled to keep her promise to him, believing that somehow, someday, he’d return to her.”

I sat up and leaned back in the chair, rubbing my forehead. “That… that’s all for this page. I’m certain that there’s more to the story, though.” I looked up at Kiel. “You say there were instructions to find the second page?”

“Yeah! Right on the back of the first. So if you turn this page over… see? That should lead you to the next page! It’s like a treasure hunt!” Kiel said enthusiastically.

I flipped the page over. On the back, in a tidy hand, were the words:

_From the palace, go southwest;_   
_Go southeast from the fires._   
_The next item of your quest_   
_In a square coppice retires._

“Palace? Does that mean the castle?” said Kiel, thinking hard.

“No, the castle’s too new. I think that would refer to the old haunted mansion where Dolce was imprisoned in her Guardian form. Before my time, it had been a pleasure palace for royalty. Even in my youth, it was so old that it was abandoned and ruined. My friends and I loved to explore the grounds when we were children. I assume that it was torn down at some point while I was sealed in the tower and that manor house was built in its place. Probably not too long after I became a Guardian, because Dolce lived only a few centuries after me at most, and the mansion was already old and haunted by her time.”

“So then somewhere along the Autumn Road?” Avani asked, looking up at me.

I nodded. “Yes, that seems likely. And in fact, I think I know the place now.”

“Well, then, what are we waiting for? Let’s get going!” Avani laughed, pulling me up.

“Sounds good! Thanks for your help, Kiel.”

“Sure! Oh, and you can keep those pages—they’re only copies anyway. I’ll keep looking, too, and I’ll let you know if I find anything! And let me know if you find anything, okay?”

“Okay, we’ll do that. I promise.” Then Avani headed for the door, pulling me along behind her.

* * *

 

We took the airship to the Autumn Road, and I led the way south. As I had thought, there was a clearing with four stumps, situated so as to form the corners of a square. We knelt down in the center of the square and began to dig.

Before long, Avani bumped something solid. Scraping the dirt away from around it, we discovered a small but solid chest, well sealed. I lifted it out and opened it, and inside was a yellowed page, similar to the other two. “Well. Let’s see what this one says.” Although I tried to keep my tone light and cheerful, I doubted that I fooled her anymore than I fooled myself—I was trembling with fear and anxiety as I held up the page for a closer look.

Again summarizing as I translated, I read the content of the page. “It says…. Even after the man left her, she still didn’t cry. Even when her mother and father passed away, still she held back her tears. Whenever she was upset or hurt, instead of crying, she would go to the tower and look at their names carved there. No one else knew of her promise, so she was seen as a cold-hearted, mean-spirited woman, disliked by most. And in time, she was left all alone.”

“All alone….” I repeated, feeling stricken. The only other mark on the page was a square in the corner, corresponding to the triangle on the previous page. I flipped it over. On the back was a note:

_Southwest of the shrine you’ll find a lake,_   
_If the southern road you take._   
_And if you wish upon a star,_   
_You’ll find a page—go west, not far._

I looked over at Avani, who was lost in thought. “Hey. Did I mention that I used to drag Maria all over the place?” She looked at me and nodded. “Well, so far these pages have been buried in spots that she and I used to visit—old haunts, where we’d spend hours at a time playing. And it’s been bothering me… why she picked these places, I mean. What was the point? But I think I’m beginning to understand. Kiel said it was like a treasure hunt… but instead it reminds me of our childhood, when I’d wander all over the countryside with her in tow. I wonder… what was she thinking, what did she feel when she buried these pages? Was she thinking of me? Or….”

I stood up and looked towards the east. “Well, let’s see what the next note brings, shall we? I believe I know just where to look for it.” I helped her up and we returned to the waiting airship.

* * *

 

I set a course for Sercerezo Lake, explaining that it had to be the lake found by taking the southern road from the shrine—the ruins of the old water shrine—and looking to the southwest of the shrine. The only other lake in the area was Keeno lake, which couldn’t be reached by the road south. Once at the lake, I remembered that there had once been a little grove a little ways west. The grove was surely long gone, but there might be some traces remaining.

We followed the path west, and there I saw that where the grove had once stood, there were now only five massive, ancient stumps remaining. Avani darted to the center of the cluster, and began to dig. A moment later, she sprang up, holding something out for me to see. “Look, Leo! A coin—a really old one, too—I’ve never seen one like it. Or not that I remember, anyway.”

I took the coin from her. “Yes, this was one of the coins used in my time, minted shortly before my imprisonment, I’d guess—they’d changed the designs only a couple of years before, when the new king was crowned.”

“Then this must be the place!” she cried, excitedly, kneeling down and starting to dig again.

I knelt down and joined her. After a while, we again struck something solid, and soon we were lifting out another small chest. My heart raced as I opened the box and beheld yet another page of ancient text within. I tried to lift it out, but my hands shook so that I couldn’t grasp it. “My Lady… will you pick it up for me? My hands are shaking.”

She took the chest from me and carefully lifted the page out, placing it into my trembling hands. I took a deep breath—I was eager and terrified, anxious and conscience-stricken all at once. I cleared my throat and began to interpret the writing.

“It says that one day a man began to talk with her, and over time they became good friends. One day he asked her, ‘What would it take for you to be happy?’. She replied, ‘For him to return.’ ‘That’s it? Just having him return to you would make you happy?’ ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘he should marry me as he promised he would do.’ ‘And why would that make you happy?’ the man asked her. ‘Because then we would travel the same road through life, growing old side by side.’ When the man heard her answer, he pulled out a small mirror and raised it to the level of her eyes. Reflected therein, she saw not a lovely young face, but an old woman, staring back at her with a scowl. She realized then that decades had passed since he had left her. Never would they walk down the same road, for life had led them too far apart. Several days later, she returned to the tower one last time. Their names were still there, but nothing else remained. Her family and friends were all gone now. Even he was gone—nothing more than a name carved into stone. She had lost all that she’d had, even him—for she knew he’d never return. Really, she’d known it in her heart of hearts all along. She’d even known that, to him, she was nothing but a little sister. But she hadn’t been able to give up on her wish. For the first time in decades, the tears flowed down her cheeks. She couldn’t have stopped them even if she had tried. ‘In the end, I couldn’t keep my promise after all,’ she muttered. And then… she disappeared. Her final wish was that ‘he’ would one day disappear, too.”

* * *

 

There was nothing else on the page but a star in the lower corner. I turned the page over, but the back side was blank. I sank to the ground. “And so the story ends.” Avani looked at me, her eyes full of tears. I looked away, unable to bear any more suffering.

“What a miserable ending, after all…. So, she wants me to disappear. Well, I can’t blame her. I made a promise that I couldn’t keep, yet she waited for me all the same. And this… is the result.” I looked back up at her, then jumped up, suddenly filled with impotent rage. “Damn it! Don’t look at me like that! You think she was cold-hearted, don’t you? You blame her for feeling that way? Don’t make me laugh! You don’t know _anything_ about her!”

She looked at me, aghast as I railed at her. “Leo…?” she whispered, slowly shaking her head as the tears began to fall.

“She wasn’t cold—it wasn’t that she didn’t want to cry, that she didn’t feel anything. She just couldn’t! I stole her tears and bound her heart with a promise I never realized she took seriously until it was too late! _She_ didn’t break that promise—it was me, _I_ was the one that broke it when I left her behind!”

“Leo….”

“Damn it, Avani! Don’t you get it? You—you’ve had it so easy compared to her! Everyone adores you, don’t they? Everyone protects you and looks out for the beloved princess. But why… why didn’t anyone protect _her_? Why did they just leave her all alone? Why didn’t they see… see what I saw in her?” I fell to my knees, tears sliding down my cheeks. “Why… didn’t I just stay with her? I just… I just wanted her to smile… always to smile. I couldn’t bear to see her cry. That was all I wanted.” I buried my face in my hands, groaning. “What else could I have done? And now… what do I do now?”

I knelt there, fighting to get myself under control. Avani knelt close by, waiting in silence for me. After a time, I stood, and looked down at her. “I apologize, My Lady. I… I lost control. Let’s go. I need to get these papers to Kiel.”

She placed a hand lightly on my arm. “It doesn’t have to be right now….”

“Yes, it does!” I snapped. She recoiled slightly, and I sighed. “Sorry…. I promised him I’d let him know as soon as we found anything. And I never want to break another promise again. Never!” And I turned and left, with her trailing along behind me.

* * *

 

Back in town, I said, “I’m going to take these papers to Kiel now.” I gave her a half smile and flipped a strand of hair out of her eyes. “Don’t worry about me. I’m… fine.” Then I walked away, leaving her standing at the gates.

I gave the papers to Kiel, leaving him to pore over them enthusiastically. Then I returned to my room to sit and think. A while later, I heard footsteps creeping softly up the stairs, and soon Avani was stepping cautiously into my room. “Leo?”

I turned and looked up at her. “Ah, it’s you. I… gave those papers to Kiel. Just like I promised.” She looked so concerned, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it right then. I stood and walked over to her. “I told you, don’t worry about me. The battle is over.” Then I gently turned her away, closing the door behind her. After several minutes, I heard her footsteps going slowly down the stairs.

When I felt sure she was gone, I left my room. I didn’t feel like being around others right then, so I headed to Dragon Lake outside of town. But it just wasn’t my day for solitude, it seemed, because soon afterwards, who should come along down the steps but Avani. I sighed to myself as she approached. “Yes, My Lady? Is something wrong?” She looked at me as if she wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure how to say it. “Did we have plans? Did I… promise something?”

She shook her head. “No… it’s not that. It’s… it’s about Maria’s story.”

I stiffened. “Let’s not talk about her anymore.”

“But….”

“Just forget it!” I shouted. Her eyes opened wide, startled by my ferocity. “Look… I’m sorry for shouting. But just forget all about it, okay? I’ll… just live with the burden. That’s all I can do to try to make amends.” Then, unexpectedly, Avani put her arms around me and held me tightly, leaning her cheek against my chest. “Wha…?” I exclaimed in surprise.

Still embracing me, she looked up. “I don’t know what you should do, or what I can do to help you. All I can do is follow what my heart tells me to do. And what my heart is telling me to do is to hold you close and look into your eyes. Xiao had some very good advice for me earlier. To summarize, she said that the world is too big a place for any one person to take on everything all alone—even you. So that started me thinking… what can _I_ do? How can I help you get through this?”

“And… _this_ was your answer?” I asked her incredulously.

“Yes. And I think it’s the right answer, too—it’s something that only I can do for you. Love and passion—those are joys reserved for the living. And I _do_ love you, Leo. I’m sure Maria felt the same way. And if I’m right… well, I’m sure, too, that she’d want you to be happy, because who _doesn’t_ want their beloved to be happy? She might have felt resentful—resentful that you _could_ be happy without her. But all the same, she’d still want you to be happy. I know… it’s kind of a paradox. But that’s love for you. When you love someone, you just want their happiness, even if it hurts you. It’s a bittersweet mixture of pleasure and pain.

“I know I’m not perfect. Even though I try not to be jealous… sometimes I am anyway. And I know I’m not much of a homebody, so sometimes I might not be there for you when you need me. And I do have a bit of a temper…. But I love you, Leo, and I want you to have eyes only for me. I don’t want to share you, and I don’t want to give you up. But… more than anything in all the world—I just want you to be happy. With me, or—if necessary—without me. _That’s_ my true heart’s wish.

“I know… I’m rambling on and not making much sense. This is all so confusing for me, too. But these are my honest, real feelings, laid bare for you. Nothing hidden—not anymore.”

“Avani….”

“So… so don’t forget about Maria. Keep her memory green in your heart. She, too, loved you with all her heart. I could never ask you to forget her—it wouldn’t be fair to either of you. Just like I could never forget Sundara—and I know you’d never ask it of me, because he and I were once in love, too. He was and is important to me, just as Maria was and is important to you.”

I looked down into her sea green eyes. “And… are you really okay with that?”

She blushed and looked down, tightening her hold on me. “I… I don’t know, honestly. But there’s nothing I can do about it. All I can do is to keep on loving you… so that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

I sighed. “But….”

Just then, Kiel came tearing down the steps, full steam ahead. “Hey, you guys! You’ll never guess what!” He ran up to us, then paused to catch his breath as we moved apart and waited for him to continue. “I _did_ it! I solved the mystery of those pages!” he exclaimed, joyfully triumphant.

“Mystery?” I asked, bewildered.

“Here, you see these symbols on the bottom corners of the pages? The first page had a line, the second a triangle, the third a square, and the fourth a star. Well, I kept puzzling it over—there just had to be a reason for those symbols. Otherwise, why put them there? It’s not like they’re terribly decorative or anything. And I just now figured it out!”

“Yes? Go on, what’s the reason?” I asked, intrigued.

“Each symbol has an ascending number of points: two, three, four, and five. And likewise, each page was found in the midst of a corresponding number of stumps.”

“Yes, that’s true….” Avani said, looking puzzled.

“But of what possible significance is that?” I asked.

“Well….” Kiel paused, grinning and giggling.

“Come on, out with it!” I exclaimed.

“First, I have a question for Avani: What is written on the pages of a book besides the text itself?”

She thought for a moment. “You mean those symbols are page numbers?”

“Yep! You got it! The number of points on each symbol represents not only the number of stumps where it was found, but also what page number it was in the sequence!”

“But then that means….” she hesitated.

“Then that means that the first page….” I added.

“That first page isn’t page one—it’s really page two!” Kiel finished with a huge grin. “So that story hasn’t really ended yet—or rather, it hasn’t begun!”

Avani gasped and looked up at me. “Leo!”

“The story… the story isn’t over?” I said in disbelief.

“That’s right! I need to go tell Arthur about this—won’t he be excited!” And he ran back up the steps to the street.

I turned and stared into the waters of the lake. “So her story isn’t finished…. But it’s only the beginning that we’re missing. The _ending_ won’t change.” I pondered for a few minutes, torn about what to do.

After a short while, I turned to her. “My Lady, suppose we do find that first page…. Do you… do you think that somehow she’ll be saved after all?”

“I don’t know—because I’m not her. But,” she continued, putting her finger on my lips to silence me, “I would want to be remembered, of _that_ I’m certain. To be remembered by the ones I loved—to never be forgotten. That, in itself, would make me happy.”

“To never be forgotten…. I see.” I smiled down at her. “Well, then, My Lady, let’s go. I have an idea where to find that first page. If we go by the other pages, the first page should be near a single marker.”

“But… there are so many places with just one stump! How will we….”

“It needn’t be a stump. You see, I’ve been racking my brain, trying to figure out why she scattered the pages all over creation—if it was to think of me as she did it, or remind me of her as I found them, or some other reason. And I think it was to remind me of our time together. Nothing else really makes sense. So the first page should be somewhere obvious… somewhere I’d go on my own, without a need for directions.”

I turned and looked to the far west. “And my guess is that place would be a single, tall tower, rising up to the heavens.”

“A tower…” she whispered, looking also towards the western sky.

“Yes. Let’s go there, back to the beginning—to seek the remnants of a vow I can never fulfill… and to keep my promise to you, to share my true feelings with you, when this was all over with.” I clasped her hand in mine and smiled at her. “Let’s go to Leon Karnak.”


	47. Chapter 47

“Are you ready, My Lady?” I asked as we disembarked from the airship near Leon Karnak. She nodded apprehensively, and I gave her hand a squeeze. “Good. Then let’s go.”

We approached the tower slowly, both of us fearing what we might find. As always, there was no one—human or monster—in sight. The monsters that populated the tower always avoided the ground level, though I had yet to comprehend why.

Standing before the massive, tightly sealed door at the base of the tower, we gazed up at the names written in the ancient script near the top once again. “I would think the most likely place for her to have buried the first page would be right here, below our names. Will you help me look for it, My Lady?”

“Of course,” she replied, kneeling on the ground before the door and starting to dig.

After digging for some time, I hit something solid. “It’s here!” I exclaimed, scraping the earth away from around the chest. “Damn. I’m shaking so hard, I can’t pick it up.”

“Do you want me to get it for you?” she asked.

“No, but thank you. I need to finish this myself. Just give me a minute.” I steeled my nerves and steadied my hands, then carefully picked up the small chest. When I opened it, there was another page inside. Feeling shaky again, I lifted the paper out of the chest. Handing the chest to Avani, I looked at that solitary page. I saw that in the bottom corner was a dot—this, then, as we had surmised, was the first page.

I took a deep breath and glanced up at her. “All right. Here we go. It says… Dear ‘you’ who lies sleeping within the tower—‘she’ who broke her promise to you has vanished. For at last ‘she’ found herself a loving husband, and was reborn as ‘me’. Because of this, I wish now to put an end to the heartache and pain between ‘you’ and ‘she’ by dedicating this story to you. That way when you finally awaken one day, you’ll know all that transpired. Then, dear man, you will know that you have been freed from our childish promise. I’m sorry that I couldn’t keep it, after all. Fare thee well.” I felt tears pricking my eyes as I looked at the text that came next. “Then she adds a post-script, saying that at the suggestion of a friend, she plans to publish a book... the title of which is The Recipe for Happiness.”

Avani gasped. “That—isn’t that the book…?”

“Yes, that’s the book I translated not long after we started seeing each other. She also says that she hopes one day I find it—that she’s _certain_ I will do so—and that she’s writing it in the old script that we learned together as children. She says that she hopes I’ll enjoy reading it all the more because of that. Then she says… she says ‘To you, my dear man, through the passage of years, centuries, even millennia… I send you my wish upon a star, for you were my first love, though not my last.’” I set the page back in the chest, and Avani gently closed the lid. “ The Recipe for Happiness. It was the story of a happily married couple. And I remember… how I could sense the joy overflowing from the author through her words.”

“Then that means….”

“It means that ‘she’ really did disappear here. She broke her promise and found someone else. She _didn’t_ die miserable and alone—she… she had a happy life, after all.” Joy and relief filled me, the excess flowing from my eyes as tears. I sighed, leaning against the door and closing my eyes for a moment. “A wish upon a star….”

“Wasn’t that… wasn’t that part of the hint to find the last page?” Avani asked.

I opened my eyes and looked at her in surprise. “Yes, now you mention it. You’re right.” I laughed. “How could I have forgotten about that? Wishing on stars. It was a charm from my childhood—a kind of magic to send a wish to the heavens. The first page started with that dot, and then point by point she turned it into a star. I remember it now—it was supposed to make your wish come true. Everything—the story, the symbols, the locations… all of it was her gift to me, to both of us, so that our wishes might come true. It was… her blessing.”

I looked up again at our names and laughed. “That dear, sweet, silly girl. She has nothing to be sorry for. _I’m_ the one who should be apologizing, not _her_.” I reached up to trace over her name with my finger. “I’m so glad you found your happiness, Maria. I promise, your wish will not be wasted,” I whispered.

I turned to look at Avani. She stood watching me, glad tears shining in her eyes, and my heart gave a hard thump and my throat constricted as I looked at her. She was somehow so strong, yet so vulnerable. So brave, yet so shy. She was a mass of contradictions, and… _I loved her_. I felt my spirits soar as I realized that I could allow myself to feel that now—I could even say the words. I reached for her and pulled her to me, caressing her cheek as I gazed into her dewy green eyes.

“I promise… I will stay by your side. I will protect you,” I murmured, and she threw her arms around me and held me tightly. “I can finally look you straight in the eyes.” Then I pulled away. “No. To be honest, I’ve been deceiving myself ever since our relationship began. I’ve… I’ve been afraid. Afraid to accept the truth. Afraid of the consequences. And so I never could really face you. Even… even when I was _with_ you—my heart was elsewhere.”

She smiled sadly up at me. “I understand, Leo. It… it was the more or less the same for me.”

I opened my eyes wide, caught off guard by her words. “What? It _was_?”

“Right from the start, I hid away my true feelings. Remember you asked me if I was okay with the terms of our relationship—that you could never completely be with me—and I said I was? I was deceiving myself, too. How _could_ I be okay with that? How could I be satisfied, let alone happy, knowing that your heart was bound and that you were in pain? It wasn’t because you wouldn’t marry me, honest—that never _really_ mattered to me, not very much anyway. I only wanted to be with you. But I just couldn’t bear that I was causing you grief.

“So I locked my true feelings away deep inside me, and I tried to pretend that things weren’t so _very_ serious between us. Poor Dylas—truthfully, it was all over with him from the moment I first saw you. I was so selfish. But… after you said that you couldn’t _truly_ be with me, I couldn’t bring myself to be honest enough to give him his freedom or to give you my undivided affection. I thought maybe then… maybe that it would make it easier for you… and for me. And besides, I was… I was afraid, too.

“This is the first time I’ve been able to look you in the eyes and admit all that to you. Not that I actually lied before, more just that I didn’t tell you _everything_. So… I’d like to start over. A clean slate. A fresh start, together with you.”

I smiled at her as I took in her words. “A fresh start… yes, I like that idea. Now I feel like I can finally be with you—completely and entirely, in mind, body, and spirit.”

“Same here,” she said, standing on tip-toe to give me a kiss.

“Oh, that reminds me of something… ‘Welcome home, My Lady.’”

She grinned at me, and replied, “‘I’m home, Leo!’”

I touched the tip of her nose with my finger as I smiled again at her. “Hey, you remember what you were saying a moment ago, about when we first started seeing each other? You know, when I told you that I could never truly be with you, and you said you were fine with it, even though really you weren’t.” She nodded, looking questioningly at me. “I never want to break another promise again, My Lady. But… sadly, as things are right now… I _still_ can’t truly be with you.”

She looked startled and more than a little stricken. “What? Wh…”

“That’s why,” I interrupted, as I pulled her tightly to me, “you should marry me.”

She gasped, pulling back to look up at me—uncertain if I was serious or not.

“We’re two different people, so of course we can’t be _completely_ together. So marry me—become as one with me in mind, body, and spirit.”

“But that… that doesn’t even make sense!” she exclaimed, flustered by my unexpected proposal.

“No, perhaps not. But as you said, love is a paradox. I love you, My Lady, with all my heart and soul, more than I’ve ever loved before. I’m finally free to admit that to myself—and to say it to you—even though I’ve known it since I first set eyes on you, here in this tower.” Deferring to the expected standard of behavior for such an occasion, I then dropped down on one knee before her and took her hands in mine. I looked up into her eyes, and I said, “I want you for my wife, Avani. Will you marry me?”

She looked down at me, tears glistening in her eyes, and my heart skipped a beat—uncertain if they were tears of joy or sorrow.

Then she knelt down and wrapped her arms tightly around me as she whispered into my ear, “Yes, Leo. I’ll marry you.”


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From this point on, the story begins to deviate farther and farther from game canon, with original characters and locations to be added soon, as well as an original plot for the second part of the this fic. I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

We stayed at Leon Karnak for a while, enjoying the peace that we knew would be shattered once our engagement was announced. But after a while, I heard Avani’s stomach rumble and realized that I was getting hungry, too. So, reluctantly, we headed back on foot, rather than the much speedier Escape spell, in order to grasp a few last moments of tranquility.

Along the way, we decided that the first person we ought to tell of our engagement—for pity’s sake, if nothing else—was Dylas. Avani insisted that she couldn’t just leave him to learn of it through the grapevine, and I agreed wholeheartedly. Then we decided that next we should tell Arthur, as the Prince representing the Crown in Selphia, and Volkanon, as Venti’s Head Butler and the steward of her estate. After that, Avani said she wanted to tell Amber and Dolce. Although not her closest friends, she felt a special bond with all four Guardians that transcended mere friendship. Then, she said, we could tell everyone else as the occasion arose.

When we arrived, I went straight to Avani’s quarters to wait while she went in search of Dylas. Apparently she had no trouble finding him, as she returned with him after perhaps a quarter of an hour. She offered him a drink, which he declined, and we all sat before her fireplace—he in a chair, and Avani and I on the sofa. I cleared my throat to speak, but Avani quickly turned towards me and laid a hand on my arm—which I took to mean that she wanted to be the one to tell him.

“Dylas,” she said as she turned back to her former lover, “I-I’m not _quite_ sure how to say this, but….”

“But you’re getting married. Right?” he said, flatly, as he looked from one to the other of us.

I started in surprise, and Avani stammered, “W-well, yes, b-but how did you…?”

Dylas frowned at her. “Give me a _little_ credit at least. I may not be the most sociable person in town, but I’m _not_ made of wood. And I _know_ you, Avani—I know you _so_ _well_ , like the back of my own hand. When you showed up, it was pretty clear to me that you were both happy and nervous, and when I saw Leon sitting here, looking so damn happy, I… just knew.” He looked away from her. “I guess this is where I should say congratulations, huh? I… I won’t be petty and childish, so don’t worry. We had a pretty good thing for a while, though, didn’t we, Avani? And I… I still love you. So I hope he makes you happy.” Then he looked me straight in the eyes, without a trace of humor or jest, and said, “You’d _better_ make her happy.” Then he rose, and after a pause, he held out a hand to me. “Congratulations, man.” Then he held out his hand to Avani, but she jumped up and hugged him. He stood there at a loss for words for a moment, then tentatively returned her hug with a brief embrace. “Thank you, Avani, for the time we had together,” I heard him whisper to her before he pulled away and quickly left through the front door.

* * *

 

Turning to me with tears in her eyes, she said, “I… I think before we go see anyone else… _I_ could use that drink.” I smiled sympathetically and went to pour two glasses of wine—I felt I could do with one myself. As we were both fairly famished by then, I also put together some sandwiches from what I could find in her refrigerator.

We talked about wedding plans while we ate and drank, and it quickly became clear that we would likely have an… _interesting_ ceremony. I was unfamiliar with the customs of the current era, and Avani had forgotten all that she might ever have known of them. All either of us knew was based on tidbits of gossip, such as Nancy reminiscing about her marriage to Dr. Jones. However, we did agree on a few basics—neither of us cared much for pomp and circumstance, so we wanted to keep it as simple as possible. Avani loved the idea of a big party for the whole town—feasting and merrymaking for a night and a day, or something like that—and I wasn’t averse to the idea. However, I pointed out that if we did something along those lines, it would be difficult to keep all the tourists that her efforts had attracted to Selphia away, at least, without seeming churlish or snobbish. So I suggested that we hold it outdoors, in which case we should be married as soon as possible, before the chilly fall rains began.

Once we’d finished our refreshments, I went in search of Arthur while she headed over to the butler’s quarters to find Volkanon, agreeing to meet her back in her rooms. Arthur wasn’t in his offices nor in the restaurant, so I tried the baths at the inn next. I found him there, soaking in the steaming, fragrant water, his eyes closed and a smile on his face as he relaxed after his day’s efforts.

I crouched down on the edge of the pool of water next to him. “Hey, Arthur. Sorry to disturb you, but Avani and I need to talk to you as soon as is convenient. It… it’s kind of important.”

Without opening his eyes—though his smile widened a bit—he said, “Hmmm. Congratulations to the both of you.”

I sat back on my heels in surprise. “What the…. How—how did you know?” I exclaimed.

He opened his eyes then, raising one eyebrow as he looked at me. “Am I mistaken?”

“N-no… but…. Dammit, was it that obvious?”

“Apparently to everyone but you two. Even Dylas had a hunch, though I don’t think he knew for certain until Avani caught up to him a while ago. I’m pretty sure he knew at that moment, judging from the look in his eyes.”

I shook my head. “Well, at least we don’t have to worry about telling everyone, then.”

He smiled at my rueful expression. “I will be done here shortly. Where do you wish to meet with me? My office?”

“No, in Avani’s rooms, if you don’t mind. She’s looking for Volkanon right now, though I don’t think she’ll have much trouble finding him.”

“Very well, then. I will be there in fifteen minutes,” he said, then he closed his eyes again and leaned back as I rose and left.

When I returned, Avani was waiting for me. “Volkanon will be here any minute. Did you find Arthur?” she asked. When I explained he would be slightly delayed, she stood thinking for a moment. “Then I’m going to run out and find Amber and Dolce, if you don’t mind waiting here? May as well kill two birds with one stone, and I wanted to tell them next.”

I smiled at her. “Go ahead, My Lady. I’ll wait for Volkanon and Arthur to arrive.”

She ran off, and returned with the girls in tow just as Arthur arrived. Volkanon was already there and waiting, so we invited everyone to take seats. Standing before the fireplace, Avani and I looked at each other and smiled. “We’ve asked you here to announce that Avani and I have decided to marry,” I began, only to be interrupted by loud squeals from Amber and Pico.

Volkanon jumped up and smothered Avani in a massive embrace, sobbing noisily as he congratulated us. Arthur smiled—a little wistfully, I thought—and offered his felicitations, as well, and even reserved Dolce exclaimed, “ _Finally_. I wondered when you two were going to get around to it.”

“‘Congratulations, and I hope you two will enjoy a long and happy life together’—is what Dolly means to say, isn’t it, Dolly?” Pico exclaimed, throwing her translucent arms around Dolce’s neck.

Batting her aside, Dolce flushed and muttered, “Go haunt someone _else_ for a change.”

“Ahh! You’re as cold as ice, my lady!” Pico squealed.

I cleared my throat, and the chattering and squealing subsided. “Anyway, we realized that neither of us really knows how to go about doing this. I’m not familiar with the relevant laws and customs of this age, and Avani of course doesn’t remember them, if she ever knew. So—”

“Just leave it all to us, Sir Leon!” Volkanon happily proclaimed. “We’ll make _all_ the arrangements for you! Now, let’s see… that will mean the clothing, food, venue, invitations, musicians, flowers…. Perhaps if we set a date for mid-winter? Oh, this will be a _grand_ affair, worthy of our dear Avani!”

Avani looked a little pale at that, and I hastened to explain. “Again, we are not familiar with the customs, but as such, neither do we feel especially bound by them, provided that all the _legal_ requirements for marriage are met. Neither of us cares for a lot of fuss….”

“Are you _quite_ sure of that, Leon?” Dolce asked, drily. “Avani _is_ a woman, after all. Even if she _says_ that she doesn’t want a lot of fuss… most women dream of their wedding day from girlhood on. You know, being a princess for a day, wearing a big, frilly dress, bunches of flowers, a huge cake. All that sort of thing.”

I glanced over at Avani, wondering if what Dolce said was true and that she really did want a lot of fuss despite her assurances to the contrary. Meeting my gaze, she smiled in amusement as she said, “That _may_ be true, Dolce, but if I once had dreams of such a fairytale wedding, I’ve forgotten them. All I know is what I feel _now_ —that I just want to marry Leo, and the sooner, the better. The mode is irrelevant to me. I wouldn’t care if I married him on the shore of the lake wearing my work clothes, because I’m just happy to be marrying _him_.”

Volkanon cleared his throat noisily. “No, no, _no_ —that would _never_ do! You are a _princess_ —well, in a manner of speaking—and you _must_ have a wedding befitting your rank!”

Avani sighed. “Fine. Have it your way. We’ll have whatever wedding you feel is proper and necessary for us to have… _provided_ that you do all the planning and preparation _and_ that it takes place within a week.”

“A _week_?!” Volkanon roared, stunned.

“ _Or less_ ,” Avani said, in a tone that brooked no argument.

“Ahh… hrmm. Yes. Well, in that case—there is no time to lose!”

As he turned to bolt out the door, I called to him. He paused and looked at me expectantly, and I said, “My Lady and I had thought to hold the reception out of doors, so that everyone—even visitors to the town—might join in the festivities. You know, just a big party that _everyone_ can enjoy.”

“Yes, _sir_!” he exclaimed with a broad grin, then he disappeared through the side door into the castle.

Dolce rose next, saying, “I suppose since I have a little skill with a needle that I could make the wedding clothes for you, if you’d like. I’ll sketch out some designs tonight. If you would be so good to stop by early in the morning, you can give your opinion on them. Do you know yet who your attendants will be?”

“A-attendants?” Avani said, bewildered.

Dolce sighed and closed her eyes. “Yes, it’s traditional for both the bride and groom to each have attendants to help them dress, help with the wedding itself, act as witnesses to the marriage—those sorts of things. You should each have at _least_ one attendant, though really elaborate weddings may have a dozen or more attendants apiece.”

We looked at each other, and she said, “Well… can I let you know in the morning? We… uhh, need to decide that.”

Dolce nodded, and then she, too hurried off.

Amber jumped up to follow, squealing, “I bet Lumie will want to do _all_ your flowers! I can’t want to tell her! Oh! Or maybe _you_ want to be the one to tell her?”

“I do, thank you. I’ll come by later, okay?” Avani said with a smile.

“Okie dokieeeee!” Amber giggled, then she bounded off, beaming with joy and fluttering her wings excitedly.

That just left us alone with Arthur. “Well, it would appear that things have been set in motion,” he said with a smile. “Of course, normally there would be a waiting period between the time your application for a marriage license is submitted and the time you could actually marry. However, I would be more than happy to expedite that for you, as a special circumstance. So if the two of you will please come to my office tomorrow first thing in the morning, we’ll take care of your paperwork. One thing—I do not know either of your surnames, and I will need those for your applications.”

Avani looked disconcerted at that. “But… but I have no idea what my surname is! I only remembered my given name after I came to—nothing else. What am I going to do?” She bit her lip, looking as if she might cry.

“Ahh, well, don’t worry about it,” Arthur said with a reassuring smile. “That’s another special circumstance, isn’t it? Since you don’t know your name, I will simply put you down as ‘Avani of Selphia’. And you, Leon?”

I thought for a moment. “My family has long since died out. It had all but done so when I became a Guardian—I was the only son of an only son of an only son. I _could_ carry on my father’s name, of course, but after the passage of centuries, it seems almost… pointless. I’d essentially be starting a new family line, anyway, so may I—may _we_ —choose a new name for ourselves?”

“Certainly, if that is what you wish. After all, who in this time would be able to gainsay you, anyway? Discuss it tonight and let me know what name you wish to use tomorrow.” He rose and held out a hand to me. “Again, congratulations. You’re a _very_ lucky man, Leon.”

“I know,” I grinned.

* * *

 

That evening, as we lay in bed, we discussed attendants and names. “I was thinking…” Avani began, “although they perhaps aren’t my _nearest_ friends, I’d like to have Dolce and Amber as my attendants. I feel closer to you four Guardians than to the townsfolk—or I guess more accurately, I feel a bond with you that I don’t share with anyone else. But it depends… who do you want to ask to be _yours_?”

I thought for a few minutes. “Well, as strange as it may sound, I think the man I’m closest to would be, well, Dylas. After all, we’ve been comrades-in-arms for some time now, and we’ve shared a lot— _you_ , for example,” I said with a grin at her. She rolled her eyes, and I went on. “But… I don’t know… it might be awkward to ask him, given that he _is_ your former lover. And even if he is _willing_ … it could still be painful for him.”

She sighed and snuggled up to me. “True… but he still seems like the ideal choice. You could ask him and see what he says—if he declines, no hard feelings.”

“Perhaps. I was thinking of asking Arthur to be the other attendant when we go in to do the paperwork, so maybe I’ll ask Dylas while we’re there.”

She got a wicked gleam in her eye just then, and said with a laugh, “If he declines, you could mention that in that case, you’ll ask Doug instead. I bet he’d change his mind then!” I laughed with her—she certainly knew how to get Dylas to do what she wanted.

“It’s nice how nearly everyone in town is doing something for the wedding—how they all wanted to pitch in and have some part in the preparations,” she said after a few minutes. “Dolce’s doing all the sewing, with help from Nancy and Blossom. Lumie, Deasún, and Amber are all taking care of the flowers and decorations. Meg’s seeing to the music, even finding additional musicians to perform with her. Porcoline’s cooking all the food—no doubt with Dylas’s help—making the cake, and providing the beverages. The butlers are all handling the planning and coordination, Arthur’s taking care of the paperwork, and even Bado’s helping with our rings. It’s almost like having a huge, extended family.”

“Indeed it is. Which leads me to the other decision to be made: what name will we take for our family?”

She furrowed her brow in thought. “Something meaningful to both of us,” she finally said, slowly. “We could pick something that has to do with the tower or the forest where we first met… or we could pick something to do with Venti?”

“Such as?” I asked, looking at her dubiously.

“Like… something relating to wind? Or dragons? Like… Drake… or Gale… or Mistral?”

“Hmmm… Drake…. I rather like that. Leon and Avani Drake—that has a nice ring to it, I must say. And it seems appropriate, given that I was Venti’s high priest and that we were both her good friends.” I paused and looked at her. “Err, assuming that you intend to take my name, that is?”

She looked surprised. “I-I don’t know. I have no idea what’s customary. But… I’d _like_ to share your name.”

I wrapped my arms around her and gave her a kiss as I held her tightly. “I’d like that, too.”

* * *

 

The next morning, as soon as she’d finished her farm chores, Avani ran off to see Dolce. She returned an hour or so later with a merry look in her eyes. When I asked the cause of her amusement, however, she coyly told me that I’d just have to wait and see. I recognized the glint of devilment in her eyes, and just gave up before I’d even started—I knew I hadn’t a chance when she was in _that_ mood. She did say, though, that Dolce had agreed—happily, even, although also with a little embarrassment—to be one of her attendants. We stopped by Carnation’s on the way to Arthur’s, and she asked Amber as well—who also agreed, and with far more exuberance, I imagined.

Before going in to see Arthur, we next tracked down Dylas. He was waiting tables, but took a break when I asked if I could talk to him someplace private. We stepped upstairs to his room, Avani following behind. Once in his room, he turned and looked at me, hand on his hip. “Well, what is it? I _am_ working, you know—so make it quick,” he grumbled impatiently.

“Then I won’t mince words. I’d like you to be one of my attendants at our wedding. After all, you’re one of our closest friends—mine as well as Avani’s.” Seeing the stunned look on his face, I quickly added, “I know—it’s probably more than a little unconventional to ask a former rival to be in the wedding party. But then, none of us are particularly stuck on convention.”

He looked torn between shock and anger as he just stared, open-mouthed, at me. “Y-you….”

Avani stepped up to him, and interrupting him, she laid her hands on his arm and looked pleadingly into his eyes. “Please, Dylas? I _know_ it’s a lot to ask of you. But… it would mean so much to us—to _me_ —for you to be a part of our wedding. You’re so dear to us.”

He abruptly turned his back to us, and in a low voice, he said, “ _Don’t_ , Avani. Don’t look at me like that. It… it isn’t fair. You _know_ I can’t say no to you when you have _that_ look in your eyes….” He heaved a great sigh, then softly said, “ _Fine_. I’ll do it. Just… don’t expect me to pretend to be all happiness and sunshine and rainbows.”

“Thank you, Dylas—it means more to me than I can say,” Avani gently replied, giving him a hug.

“Yeah, whatever. Now get going, will you? I have work to do,” he said gruffly, and we quietly slipped away to find Arthur.

He was, as usual, in his office. He looked up and smiled at us as we hurried downstairs. “Ahh, there you are. I’m glad to see you,” he said gesturing for us to sit across from him. “I have the necessary paperwork right here for you to fill in. Have you reached a decision regarding your surname?”

“Yes,” I replied as we sat down, “we’re thinking of using the name Drake. It seems fitting, given our friendships with Venti—not to mention that I was once her high priest. Is that an acceptable choice?”

He drummed his fingers on the desk as he thought for a moment. “Well…” he said after a long pause, “the trouble with that name is that some in the capitol might see it as… well, _presumptuous_ for commoners to take a name derived from a Native Dragon—however feted those commoners might be.”

Avani tensed up, looking furious at the idea, so I put an arm around her shoulders to calm her as I replied, “Well, then. Is that enough to actually be an impediment?”

Arthur leaned back in his chair. “It _could_ be… but something _else_ has come up. Please wait here—I would like Dylas to be present for this.”

Avani and I looked at each other in astonishment as he stepped through the door into Porcoline’s restaurant, returning a few minutes later with a fairly surly Dylas in tow. He grabbed another chair and pulled it over to the desk, gesturing for Dylas to have a seat as he resumed his own.

Shuffling through his papers, he pulled out an envelope with a large, flamboyant seal stamped onto it. “Here’s the thing,” he began, pulling a letter out and glancing at it before looking up at us. “As I already told you, your proposed surname _could_ be problematic with certain factions within the capitol, due to your status as commoners. My father, the King, would not personally care—of that I am certain. But those who are more hidebound would almost certainly try to make things difficult, or at least uncomfortable, for you two.

“However, I hold here a solution to this potential dilemma. The King has written to me, stating that he wishes to recognize your heroism—all three of you, that is—in our kingdom’s recent crisis. Therefore, he wishes to knight all three of you, and to you, Avani, he has further issued letters patent creating you Baronet of the Selphia Plains.”

We all just stared at him, completely at a loss for words. Dylas, surprisingly, recovered use of his tongue first. “Kn-knight? Me? Are you _kidding_ me? And can women even _be_ baronets? I-I… I don’t know what to say.”

Smiling at our confusion, Arthur said, “Yes, I’m quite serious. Never has a lady been created a baronet—until now. Then, there has not yet been a lady more deserving of the honor, either. Your new titles and honors should preclude any potential carping regarding your choice of surname, so we can proceed with confidence.

“My father had intended to call you three to the capitol soon for a formal knighting; however, I think I will make a personal request of him—as his son, rather than as a prince—to come here instead. Then your wedding plans need not be disarranged. My father enjoys getting away from the fuss and feathers of court life once in a while, so I think he will be amenable.”

Avani and I just looked at each other, speechless. Then simultaneously, we both began to laugh. We laughed until we were helplessly gasping for breath. From the corner of my eye, I could see Arthur’s startled expression, which only made me laugh all the harder.

“What is it? What’s so funny?” he exclaimed in surprise.

“O-only Avani,” I gasped. “Only Avani could try to plan a simple, quiet, little wedding and have it turn into a royal affair to be organized with less than a week’s notice.”

“Volkanon’s going to blow a gasket,” she giggled, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“You two… are fucking _insane_ ,” Dylas solemnly pronounced as we once again dissolved into laughter.


	49. Chapter 49

“Ta- _daaaa_!” Margaret exclaimed, whisking the cover off the outfit she had brought for me to wear.

I just stood and stared at her, dumbfounded. “You… want _me_ … to wear _that_?”

“Of course!” she exclaimed. “Why, don’t you like it? It’s the latest fashion!” She turned the ridiculously formal suit—white and cyan, with a surfeit of lace and ruffles and frills—and looked at it with a pouty little frown.

I heard Arthur choking a little behind me; Dylas’s snort of laughter wasn’t nearly so subtle. My ear began to twitch in annoyance. “ _Like_ it? Margaret. Even _you_ should know me well enough by now to realize how I’d feel about wearing something like… like _that_ ,” I growled, gesturing contemptuously at the suit.

She sighed, and said, “Well… Avani _did_ seem to think you wouldn’t really approve of it. So as it happens, I brought an alternate. It’s a pity, though—it’s _such_ a nice suit! You’d look so… _dashing_!”

“I’d look like a performer in an ill-conceived circus. What’s my other choice?” I grumbled.

“Avani helped Dolce with the design, so you _ought_ to like it, if _only_ for that reason, you ungrateful man,” she said with a grimace as she hurried off to swap outfits. Returning a few minutes later, she again whisked the cover off the hanger.

My eyes opened wide, then I smiled a broad smile. “Ahh, yes. That’s much more like it.”

“But… but that’s the same thing you wear every day!” she exclaimed, disappointed by my reaction. “You should wear something _special_ to your own wedding!”

“Not _quite_ the same—it’s white and cyan, for one thing, and the trousers are more tailored than the ones I’m wearing now. But the overall style is much the same. I like it.”

Margaret sighed again. “Avani was sure you would. Honestly, she said _she_ preferred it, too. She said that seeing you so dressed up, with a shirt and everything, would just seem all wrong. She even called the other outfit ‘stuffy’!” Pushing the clothing into my arms, she threw up her hands in disgust and bustled away to let us dress.

* * *

 

The king had indeed arrived for our wedding, intending to hold the knighting ceremony between our nuptials and the reception. Arthur had evidently discussed it with him, because instead of a formal ceremony, this was to be a casual event—much like our wedding. For despite Volkanon’s and Margaret’s best efforts, and despite the daunting number of guests expected at the reception, we’d still managed to keep the tone fairly informal, just as we wanted.

After dressing in my room at the inn, Arthur, Dylas, and I all walked over to the castle to await the ceremony. It would be a simple affair—aside from the wedding party, the only others in attendance would be Volkanon, who would perform the ceremony on Venti’s behalf, His Royal Highness King Gilbert and his elite guard, who stood on duty at the doors to keep any overly eager well-wishers at bay, and Margaret, who was providing the music for the ceremony. The ceremony was to begin at 15:00, and the reception approximately an hour later.

A few minutes before the hour, Margaret came hurrying through the side door from Avani’s rooms. She sat down at a beautiful, huge Elvish harp—apparently a family heirloom, lent to her for the occasion. She gently plucked at the strings, creating a soft melody. A few minutes later, the door to Avani’s room was thrown open, and Margaret changed her tune to a more ceremonial piece of music. Amber pranced out in her new frock, beaming in delight as Arthur tucked her hand into his arm and escorted her to her place before stepping over to his own. A moment later and Dolce stepped out. Dylas offered his arm to her, and as she took it, Pico appeared, fluttering around in her ghostly way—obviously envious of Dylas’s position. The soft yellowy moss green of the ladies’ dresses formed a pleasing contrast with the deep blue-violet trousers and bronze shirts worn by the two men. After they’d stepped aside in their places, there was a pause, then Avani appeared in the doorway.

To my surprise, the King himself stepped forward, tucking her arm into his as he smiled down at her. “Allow me the honor of giving you away, my dear,” he said in his deep voice. She blushed and nodded acceptance with a sweet smile, and he slowly led her to her place beside me. She looked up at me—uncustomarily shy in her wedding finery—and blushed at my stare. But in truth, I couldn’t keep my eyes from her. Though simple in design, her gown was an elegant, modern interpretation of the dresses favored by ladies of my own time. Sheer white fabric was gathered over the short, cyan undergown and across one shoulder, falling into a long, lightweight train floating behind her. A slender belt of square golden links was fastened around her waist, and she wore golden sandals with straps that wound almost halfway to her knees. Her pale green hair was even styled in the manner of my era—piled high in curls on the back of her head, with two slender golden bands set across the crown of her head. She wore simple gold jewelry, and her eyes were embellished with narrow lines of black kohl. Her lips were lightly stained with rouge the color of ripe berries—and I couldn’t wait to kiss them.

King Gilbert kissed her on both of her cheeks, then he placed her hand into mine and stepped back. Wiping tears from his eyes, Volkanon looked at Avani, murmuring “Beautiful, so beautiful,” before clearing his throat and proceeding.

“I, Volkanon, Head Butler and Steward of the Lady Ventuswill’s estate, shall perform this ceremony in her stead.” Turning to Avani, he said, “Avani of Selphia, will you take this man, Leon, as your lawfully wedded husband, pledging your undying love and devotion to him and him alone now and for all time?”

She looked up at me and smiled, then turned to face him as she replied, “I do so pledge.”

I felt tears pricking my eyes at her reply as Volkanon turned to me. “Leon Drake of the tower of Leon Karnak, will you take this woman, Avani, as your lawfully wedded wife, pledging your undying love and devotion to her and her alone now and for all time?”

I grinned down at her as I replied, “Damn straight I do.” She smothered a giggle, though her sparkling eyes betrayed her amusement.

Volkanon cleared his throat again, glaring severely at me. “The rings?” Dylas stepped forward to give me the ring I’d designed and crafted—with a great deal of help from Bado—for Avani. It was comprised of a narrow gold band set all around with tiny emeralds and entwined with a second band of golden scrollwork. Dolce also stepped forward, and placed a ring in Avani’s hand. I slipped my ring onto her finger, and she slipped hers onto mine. The ring she’d crafted for me—for I recognized her handiwork—was a polished band of gold, inlaid with gold squares. Set into the band was a design of rectangular and square turquoise inlays, and in the spaces between the groups of inlays, she had set tiny diamonds, with a single tiny ruby in the very center of the design. It was an incredible piece of work that reminded me of my facial markings—as I was certain she had intended.

After placing our rings on each others’ fingers, we turned back to Volkanon. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. Henceforth shall you be known throughout the land as Mr. and Mrs. Leon Drake of Selphia. May the Native Dragons bless your union!” I smiled down at her, happy tears springing to her eyes as she returned my gaze, then I caught her up and kissed her while those around us cheered.

Immediately segueing into the knighthood ceremony, Volkanon stood aside and the King stepped forward. Avani stood before him, with Dylas and I falling into place on either side of her and a step back. The three of us genuflected before him, awaiting his pleasure.

“I shall keep this simple and brief,” he began. “In honor of the great service which you three have rendered to our kingdom in our time of need, and in gratitude for your efforts on behalf of us all, the Native Dragons inclusive, I now confer the honor of knighthood upon you, as is my royal prerogative.” Taking a step forward, he drew his mighty sword, then he tapped Avani first on the right shoulder and then the left with the flat of his blade, saying, “I dub thee Sir Avani Drake, Knight of the Kingdom of Norad. I further bestow upon thee the title of First Baronet of the Selphia Plains, with all the honors and duties implied therein.” She kissed the signet ring on his outstretched hand, then he raised her up and again kissed her on both cheeks.

“My Lord and King, I thank you for these honors so conferred,” she said in her melodic voice, bowing her head and curtseying.

He flashed a brilliant smile at her, saying heartily “It is I who thank _you_ , my dear lady.” Then he turned next to me, saying as he tapped my shoulders with his blade, “I now dub thee Sir Leon Drake of Selphia, Knight of the Kingdom of Norad.” I likewise kissed his ring before he raised me up and kissed my cheeks, then he repeated the process with Dylas, similarly styling him Sir Dylas Powell of Selphia.

“Well done, all three of you, and congratulations, Sir Leon and Sir Avani, on your marriage. Now—I do believe there is a party out there waiting for us, so let us begin the festivities!” He gestured to my new bride and me, signaling us to precede him through the main door to the courtyard, regardless of rank.

* * *

 

When we stepped out, momentarily dazzled by the brilliant sunlight, a roar of congratulations greeted us. The courtyard was filled with friends and strangers alike, all prepared to eat, drink, and be merry on our behalf. The King stepped up behind us, and placing a hand on each of our shoulders, he shouted, “All hail the newlyweds, Sir Leon and Sir Avani Drake of Selphia!” Another roar rose from everyone gathered there as he smiled and gently propelled us forward into the welcoming arms of the crowd.

Margaret stepped up onto a platform that had been raised adjacent to the butler’s entrance to the castle, where a few other musicians awaited her. With a wide smile, she began to play a sprightly tune on her lap harp and the other musicians joined her in accompaniment. As our friends gathered around us to congratulate us and wish us well, others began to dance in the center of the courtyard. All around the sides of the courtyard were tables laden with some of Porcoline’s finest cooking, including a towering cake that looked as though it could feed a thousand—and looking around at the crowd, I thought it very well might need to. Next to the tables of food, several casks of beer, wine, mead, and cider had been tapped for the occasion. The castle and lampposts and courtyard were splendidly decorated with hundreds, if not _thousands_ , of brilliant summer blooms, festoons of cyan cloth, and clusters of peacock feathers.

I looked down at my wife, and she looked up at me as we smiled at each other. She reached up and gently stroked my cheek, murmuring, “My _husband_.” Then she grinned at me, grabbed my hands, and pulled me into the crowd, which parted as we passed through, clearing a space for us in the center of the courtyard. She pulled me out into the center of the clearing just as the current song ended, and throwing her train over her arm, she turned to me and said, “Shall we dance, good sir?”

I grinned back at her, replying, “I thought you’d never ask, My Lady.” At that, the musicians struck up another lively tune and we threw ourselves into dancing, the others falling into a circle surrounding us as we laughed and whirled to the music.

On the opposite side of the main castle entrance from the musicians, near the request box, a dais had been constructed and comfortable seating arranged for the King and Prince Arthur, with room for the King’s guard to stand close by his side. Here, the royal guests retired to watch the dancing, feast upon delicacies offered them by the young maidens of Selphia, and enjoy the music as they talked. After a while, I saw Forte approach the dais, her cheeks flushed crimson. I was surprised by the sight—not the blushes, as I was used to those. But instead of her usual armor, she wore a sweeping gown of azure blue. Her long golden hair was braided and woven with azure ribbons; aside from her glorious hair, her only decoration was a strand of pearls at her throat. I looked at Arthur as she approached, and smiled to see his response. She was actually quite lovely—beautiful, even—and he was more than man enough to notice. It wasn’t much later that I saw him dancing with her, and I smiled again—any heartbreak he may have felt at Avani’s marriage appeared to have been short-lived.

Indeed, most of the bachelors seemed to find themselves very satisfactorily paired off for the evening. Doug danced happily with Amber, whom he’d not-so-secretly admired for some time. Kiel danced with various maidens, but seemed partial to little Xiao. And Vishnal paired off with Clorica right from the start of the dancing. In fact, of all the young Selphian bachelors, only Dylas remained alone and apart, refusing all who asked him to dance.

The feasting and merrymaking went on well into the night. After a time, King Gilbert retired with most of his guard to the royal pavilion that had been constructed for him down by Dragon Lake. He left a few of his guards in charge of the soldiers in town, as he’d ordered Forte to take the night off from her duties to join the celebration. Arthur and Forte escorted him, then returned a while later to rejoin the dancers.

* * *

 

A little while after midnight, Avani looked up at me with an eloquent plea in her eyes. Instantly comprehending, I nodded, and we quietly slipped away. Most of the revelers by that time were three sheets to the wind, so our departure went unnoticed by all but one. Dylas caught my eye for a brief moment as I led Avani towards her—towards _our_ —rooms, then instantly discerning our intent, he flushed and turned quickly away. The last I saw of him, he was striding purposefully towards the still-plentiful supply of drink.

Quietly opening the door to our room, I smiled down at my beautiful bride. I lifted her up in my arms and carried her through the entrance, nuzzling her neck and breathing in her intoxicating fragrance. Then as she reached her arms around my neck and began to kiss me, I closed and locked the door firmly behind us.


	50. Chapter 50

“ _What the_ …? Hey—out! _Out_!” I shouted, despite my laughter. Avani giggled helplessly as two cold, wet snouts snuffled at us and eight massive paws tried to sneak into our tent. “Baldur! Fenrir! Go on, get out of here, you clowns!” I exclaimed again in exasperation. Fenrir immediately backed out into the pre-dawn darkness, but Baldur gave me a reproving, wounded look with his luminescent cobalt eyes before departing. I lay back against the cushions of our bed and looked adoringly at my wife, who cuddled up close to me, still snickering at her giant wolves’ failed impersonations of lap-dogs.

* * *

 

When we first began to plan our honeymoon trip, we quickly learned that just about everyone in town had an opinion as to where we should go. Arthur offered to arrange for us to stay in style in the capitol, and Forte and Kiel echoed his suggestion. All four elves in town promised to send us letters of introduction if we wanted to go visit the distant island home of the Elven Kingdom, and Illuminata and Deasún even offered to accompany us there, just to ensure a warm welcome for us. Lin and Xiao, of course, suggested we simply stay in their inn, thus avoiding the rigors of travel.

Vishnal spoke up for his hometown, two days’ journey by foot southeast of the Selphia Plains. Both Clorica and Amber recommended going to Kardia, where, they had apparently heard, there was a small inn that had some of the most comfortable beds in the kingdom. Porcoline likewise recommended Kardia, where the patriarch of the de Sainte-Coquille family lived in the old family manor house. Nancy and Jones urged us to consider the tiny village of Trampoli, where they’d spent their own honeymoon some years back, and both dwarves agreed, saying that the mountains there were not only beautiful, but rich in ores and gemstones.

Dylas reluctantly supposed in passing that we might find the Eastern Isle to our taste, and Blossom sighed as she reminisced about her own long-ago honeymoon, spent in a quaint inn on Fenith Island. Even the semi-permanent visitors, Barrett and Raven, chipped in, putting in a word for their respective hometowns of Alvarna and Sharance.

In the end, having compiled the numerous suggestions and recommendations, we just looked at each other. “Well, My Lady. Where do you wish to go?” I asked her as we sat together on her sofa one afternoon.

She looked thoughtful for a minute, then grinned up at me. “Someplace quiet…”

“Mmm, yes?”

“… and secluded…”

“Even better,” I grinned.

“… away from the hustle and bustle of cities and towns….”

“Keep going….”

“Someplace like….” Then she grabbed my hand and dragged me up to her study, where she dug out a huge map of the world and spread it across her desk. “Like _here_!” she exclaimed, pointing to a spot in the southern part of the kingdom that fell under the label “Terra Incognita”.

I stared at the spot above the tip of her finger for a moment, my brow furrowed in thought. “ _There_? What lies there, My Lady, that attracts you so?”

“Leo, _really_?” she said with a reproving look. “‘Terra Incognita’—‘unknown land’! _That’s_ what attracts me. Who knows what adventures we might have there? Though honestly, probably nothing _too_ dangerous. But still, doesn’t it just _sound_ enticing?”

She sidled up to me, tucking her hand in my arm as she gazed at the map with dreamy eyes. “Just think of it—camping out in the wilds, no one but us for miles and miles around. We can go fishing, or hunting, or exploring… or even… just… stay in bed _all day_ ,” she added looking up at me with her eyes half closed, a sensual smile spreading over her lips as she reached up to trace the markings on my cheek.

I reached for her, her delicate touch stirring my blood. “You make a powerful case, My Lady,” I replied huskily as I leaned down to kiss her neck.

An hour later, as we lay basking in the afterglow, I gave my wholehearted assent to her suggestion.

* * *

 

I stepped out of the tent and stretched as I looked around. Avani had scouted out a marvelous bit of geography, to be sure. Our campsite was near the shore of a large, deep blue lake surrounded by stands of towering ancient evergreen trees and meadows of lush green grass. The southwestern mountain range rose tall and smoky blue in the distance. A few fluffy white clouds were reflected on the lake’s surface, and the brilliant sun was just beginning to peek above the trees to the east.

She had made a charming and cozy tent of large, colorful quilts hung over a heavy rope stretched between two trees. The quilts were anchored to the ground with guy lines and clamped to the rope with sturdy wooden pins to keep them from shifting around. She’d spread some heavy canvas on the ground as a barrier against the dew, then over that she’d spread a pile of old woven rugs. In the center of the tent, she placed a large feather bed she’d unearthed in some half-forgotten storeroom in the castle. Cushions and more quilts for bed covers completed our sleeping arrangement.

I looked back at Avani’s sleeping form and smiled. After the wolves had awakened us, trying to crawl into bed with us for some reason, we lay awake for a while, talking over our wedding—and our wedding night. That naturally enough led to another amorous interlude, culminating just as the sky began to lighten to the east. Afterwards, she had lain nestled in my arms, sleeping peacefully with a blissful smile on her face as she dreamed. I was unable to return to sleep, however, so after a little while, I carefully slipped away.

Although it was still early in the morning, it was already warming up. I gathered up my fishing tackle and sauntered down to the lake, intending to fish for our breakfast. We’d brought an adequate supply of food and drink, but I was always willing to enjoy grilled fresh fish—especially if that fish happened to be rainbow trout.

The glassy surface of the lake was broken at frequent intervals near the shore where I stood watching the fish swarming near the surface, attempting to catch the caddisflies that had gathered thickly just above the water. I cast my line out into the midst of the nearest swarm, and within moments had a bite. Grinning in delight, I pulled out a huge trout and dropped it into my pail before again casting my line.

I was well pleased with this location, and glad Avani had persuaded me to come here. Not only was it breathtakingly beautiful, but it was so pristine, so untouched. It didn’t look as though another human being had been there in decades, if indeed ever. The fishing alone was evidence of that. The lake was teeming with large fish—bigger than any I’d seen in the areas surrounding Selphia, anyway. When we’d fished for our dinner last night after setting up our camp, we had caught enough fish, not only for our own meal but also to feed our beasts, within half an hour. Of the monsters we’d brought with us, both wolves were carnivores, naturally, while Thor, Avani’s thunderbolt monster—the same variety of horse monster that Dylas had been bound to as Guardian—and Charmie, her tame mammoo, were omnivores. As such, they were just as happy to eat the proffered raw fish as the wolves, though they were equally happy to graze on the tall, thick grass surrounding the lake.

After perhaps twenty minutes, I’d caught enough fish for breakfast. Besides my enormous rainbow trout, I had also caught a few lake trout and a couple of perch. I returned up the short path to our camp, and finding Avani still asleep, I quietly stirred the coals into flames, building the fire up to make the glowing embers needed to grill the fish properly. Next, I filled the coffee pot with fresh water and placed it on top of the arranged firewood to come to a boil. While I waited on the coals and for the coffee to brew, I cleaned the fish, filleting and boning a pair of lake trout for Baldur and Fenrir. Since Charmie and Thor didn’t seem to care either way, I decided I’d just let them graze for their breakfasts.

By the time I’d finished with that, the coffee pot was just reaching a boil and the flames had begun to die down. I removed the pot, setting it on one of the rocks that formed the fire ring. Then I crept back into the tent to awaken my wife.

She was still smiling sweetly in her sleep, and I couldn’t help but watch her for a few minutes—she took my breath away. But time and tide wait for no man, so I sighed and gently brushed the hair away from her cheek. Light as my touch was, it was enough to rouse her, and her eyelids fluttered open. Seeing me seated by her side, her smile broadened and she reached up to caress my cheek. “Good morning,” she said drowsily.

I clasped her hand and raised it to my lips for a kiss as I smiled back at her. “Good morning, my love. If you would care to join me, I have some coffee brewing and a fire just about ready to cook some freshly caught fish.”

“Oh, that sounds _wonderful_. I’m famished! I seem to have worked up _quite_ an appetite somehow!” she said with an impudent grin. She sat up, yawning as she stretched, the covers slipping away to reveal her bare honey-golden skin, radiant in the early morning sunlight. It was all I could do to keep myself from pulling her back down into the softness of our bed, but I controlled myself—for the time being, anyway—out of consideration for her present need to satisfy a more prosaic hunger.

* * *

 

Three days before our wedding, Avani vanished for the day on Marina, her tame Aquaticus clone, to look for potential campsites from the air. That suited me beautifully, as it gave me a day to focus on finishing the rather intricate wedding ring I’d been fashioning for her under Bado’s tutelage. Although she was traveling in uncharted territory, I wasn’t especially concerned for her well-being, as not only was she one of the mightiest warriors in all Norad, but she was also accompanied by a large, powerful dragon that had become quite attached to her.

And sure enough, just as I returned to her chamber, the completed ring carefully secured within one of the interior pockets of my rucksack, she darted in through her back door. She leaped at me, throwing her arms around my neck. “I found it!” she exclaimed jubilantly. “I found the _perfect_ spot for our honeymoon!”

Laughing, I disentangled myself from her embrace and led her to the sofa. “Tell me all about it,” I said with a smile as we sat down together.

Scooting up close to me, she leaned her head against my shoulder. “Well, it’s quite a long ways south of here. Even as fast as Marina is, it still took a few hours of flying to get there. Of course, we were flying all over the place, rather than heading there directly. We’d nearly reached the mountains that make up the southern and south-western border of the kingdom when I spotted a large lake in the midst of an expanse of forest. It appears not only to be unpopulated, but completely untouched. The trees there looked very old, and the animals I saw were unafraid. Well, of me anyway—they did shy away from Marina, unsurprisingly. The lake is surrounded by meadows thick with luxuriant grass that reached almost to my waist, and the water looks beautifully clean and pure. Oh, and it was positively _swarming_ with fish—I only spent perhaps fifteen minutes on the shore, and I must have seen at least a dozen large fish leaping while I looked. And that was midday—just imagine what it must be like at dusk or dawn! I also saw a small herd of hinds and their young, as well as a few large harts keeping watch over them as they came to the lake for a drink on the shore opposite me. There was an abundance of birds and small animals, and while I did see a few monsters, they appeared much less numerous than they are here, and didn’t seem to be at all aggressive.”

“It sounds ideal,” I said, putting my arm around her shoulders and pulling her a little closer. “How long do you think it would take us to reach this Elysian field of yours?”

She thought for a few minutes, rapidly calculating. “I was thinking we could ride Baldur and Fenrir, and take Thor and Charmie as pack animals. Despite her size, Charmie is pretty fast, so she shouldn’t have any trouble keeping up. I’d say the lake was not all the way to the south, more like half to two-thirds of the way to the southern border of Norad, and not far from the western border. I think if we take the airship and have it drop us off somewhere nearby—but not _too_ close, since we don’t want any unexpected company!—we could reach the lake by early afternoon. Provided that we don’t get started too late, that is.”

“Well, don’t get your hopes up for one of your famously early starts, either, My Lady,” I replied with a smile. Then leaning down to nibble at her ear, I whispered, “I fully intend that we shall be _far_ too exhausted to rise even _with_ the sun—let alone before it.”

* * *

 

After breakfast, Avani proposed going for a swim. I agreed and started back to the tent to retrieve my swim trunks. She stopped me, saying with a puzzled look, “Where are you going?”

“Uhh, to get my swimsuit?” I said, feeling suddenly that this was a foolish reply.

She started to laugh. “Leo, my love, there’s nobody around for _miles_!” She grabbed my hand and tugged me down towards the shore. She quickly shed her clothing, then stood golden and radiant in the brilliant sunshine at the edge of the lake, where sapphire and emerald met, waiting for me to join her. Casting my own clothing aside, I strode to her side with a broad smile. She took my hand and pulled me farther into the water, then we dove together down into the cool depths, schools of fish darting out of our path as we swam.

It was going to be a _glorious_ day.


	51. Chapter 51

“Remind me why I agreed to this?” Avani said as she peered into the entrance of the black cave before her.

I grinned at her. “Because you love adventure and excitement and danger?”

“Oh. Yeah, that’s right,” she said, grinning back at me. She sighed and hoisted her pack up onto her shoulders. Then she turned to me with a mock scowl. “And I know all about you and caves. So none of your funny business, mister—we’ve no idea what we might find in there, and we need to keep on our toes.”

My grin broadened as I replied, “Does ‘on our toes’ include…”

“No. It does _not_ ,” she interrupted firmly before slowly edging into the opening, giving her eyes time to adjust from the bright sunlight to the dim interior of the cavern.

Waiting my turn, I looked down the path we’d taken here, back towards the lake where we’d set up camp. From our perch high up on the side of the mountain, the large lake looked like a brilliant gem sparkling in the sunlight. We’d ridden Thor up to the cave opening, and left him to graze while he waited for us. Baldur, Fenrir, and Charmie all had remained on guard at our camp.

“Leo? Are you coming?” I turned and saw that she had vanished into the mouth of the cave, her voice echoing faintly as she called to me. Since I had the keen vision of a fox, I didn’t need to allow time for them to adjust as she had—I just hurried to catch up to her.

Since I could see better in the darkness, I led the way through the caverns as we explored. There was a little light in some of the caves from small openings in the walls—most too small to let anything but light, air, and insects to pass through. The caves were fascinating, full of stalactites, stalagmites, and other, more peculiar, rock formations.

Deep into the system of caverns, we found a large cave containing a deep pool of water. A great number of fissures along one side of the thick stone wall provided more than the usual amount of light, so we decided it was as good a place as any to stop for a rest and a quick meal. We lit a pair of lanterns, and while I rummaged around for the food we’d brought in the light of one lantern, Avani strolled over to inspect the pool, carrying the other lantern with her.

I had just started to unwrap the sandwiches we’d packed when suddenly I heard Avani scream, and then as I whirled around, dropping the packet in my hands, I heard a loud splash. I rushed to the pool and found her lantern placed atop a nearby rock, but there was no sign of her. The glow from the lantern reflecting on the water revealed ripples on the surface, so I quickly shed my sandals and clothing, except for my belt and belt knife, and dove down, thinking that she’d only fallen in.

At least, I _hoped_ that was all it was.

* * *

 

Swimming down into the frigid, dark water was incredibly disorienting, even with my heightened senses. Fortunately, the lantern I’d left on the rock above shone a little ray of light into the water and provided some sense of direction. Just ahead of me, I could barely make out a peculiar form, not quite human and not quite piscine, swimming swiftly away from me. Flung over the creature’s shoulder—if indeed it _was_ a shoulder—I could see Avani, struggling to free herself as the creature swam ever deeper.

Enraged and frantic, I forced my half-numb limbs to their limit, swimming as rapidly as I could after them. Although the creature had an advantage with its fish tail, Avani’s struggles seemed to counter some of that advantage, and I began to gain on them. The fish-man dove down into an underground cavern and vanished from sight, and I followed, desperately hoping to find a pocket of air within.

The cavern was completely dark aside from some faintly luminescent fungi, but I slowed only a little, not wanting to be ambushed but also in dire need of air. My keen vision quickly adapted, and I was able to make out dim shapes above me. I swam up towards them, and discovered that the shapes were several of these fish creatures, surrounding a rocky island.

I broke the surface, gasping for air, and saw Avani sprawled on the rocks. I shouted to her, and she lifted her head, to my great relief, but every one of the fish-men turned towards me. I tugged my belt knife free and prepared to defend myself and my wife… or at least die trying. They slowly swam towards me, and I raised my knife, which gave them pause. As they hesitated, Avani shouted out to me, “No! Leo, don’t!”

Startled, I nearly dropped my knife. Taking advantage of my momentary distraction, two of the creatures dove at me and grasped my arms, pulling me towards the circle. To my surprise, though, they merely flung me up onto the tiny island next to Avani, who threw her arms around me.

“What in the name of all dragon kind is going on here?” I exclaimed, utterly baffled by this point.

“It’s all right, Leo. They don’t mean us any harm. They only want our help.”

“You… they can _talk_?” I asked incredulously. So far they hadn’t seem very conversational.

“Y-yes… in a manner of speaking. They don’t speak anything at all like our language, but somehow I’m still able to understand them. Maybe because I’m an Earthmate? I don’t know. But I know that they need our help. They need something that only a land-dweller can get, and they need it very badly. That’s as far as I’d gotten when you arrived.”

“In that case, My Lady, pray continue, before we freeze to death in this wretched hole,” I said, more acerbically than I’d intended.

Overlooking my sharp tone, she turned again to the largest of the aquatic folk, who began to emit a sequence of peculiar, high-pitched, jabbering sounds. Several minutes later, she nodded and held out a hand to… him? If the broad shoulders and powerful arms were any indication, they were all males. The creature—apparently a leader of some sort—held a paw up and placed it against hers, palm to palm, then all but two of the strange creatures disappeared, diving back down into the deep water.

Turning to me, she said, “As best I can tell, they are a tribe of some half-human, half-fish, similar to merfolk—no, not quite a _fish_ … I don’t recognize the word they used, but it seems to mean something fish-like. Anyway, their princess is dreadfully sick and dying a slow, painful death. According to their lore, there is a cure—but it requires a flower that can only be obtained near the peak of these mountains. And because they are half fish, they can’t leave the water to find it.

“These mountains are full of interconnected lakes and pools in which they live, so they posted a guard at each and every one, hoping against hope that _someone_ would come along that was willing and able to help. But of course, in this unpopulated area….”

“Just how long have they been waiting?” I asked, astonished by her story so far.

“Well, they don’t have a way to mark time as we do, but as far as I can estimate, it’s been many, many decades. Possibly a century or more.”

“How long do they _live_?”

“Again, the time issue… but it _sounds_ like they can live to be several centuries old.”

I shook my head in amazement. “And all this time, no one has known of them, living in the deep waters in the roots of the mountains?”

She shrugged. “I guess—it seems that way. Or if anyone _did_ know of them, they’ve long since been forgotten or possibly relegated to mere myths. Anyway, regardless of all that, they need help—help that only you and I can give them, Leo. The princess… she’s very ill, and she won’t last much longer. I think we’re her last hope.”

“Well, then, my love, we can hardly turn our backs on them in their hour of need, can we?”

I could feel her smile as she leaned against my chest. “I _knew_ you’d feel the same way.” She rose, and dove into the water. One of the two remaining fish-men swam to her, and she took a deep breath as she clung to his back—then he dove down, carrying her with him. Sheathing my belt knife, I followed suit, clinging to the back of the second fish-man.

When we resurfaced, I found myself in the same cavern where we’d first encountered the creatures. Avani was already there, shivering as she stood waiting for me. I threw on my clothes, then we grabbed our supplies and headed back out into the warm sunshine as quickly as we could, wolfing our sandwiches as we ran. Since we weren’t equipped to go in search of this flower immediately, we mounted Thor and returned to camp as quickly as he could take us.

* * *

 

Our teeth were chattering and our lips turning blue from cold by the time we arrived, so I hurried to build up the fire while Avani went to change into dry clothing. By the time she emerged from the tent, I had a roaring fire going and the coffeepot was just reaching a boil. She sat on one of the collapsible chairs we’d brought with us, and tended to the coffeepot and the fire while I, too, changed into drier clothing. I brought a couple of the smaller blankets from our bed back out with me, draping one over her shoulders and tucking the other in around her lap.

Not liking how peaked she still looked despite the hot fire and the coffee, nor how her teeth continued chattering and how her shivering seemed to have become almost convulsive, I returned to the tent to dig some medicine out of our packs. I made her swallow one of the bitter tablets, and although she grimaced and made faces at me as she gulped her coffee to mask the foul aftertaste, I noticed that she improved almost immediately. I followed suit, likewise swallowing a tablet and washing it down with hot coffee.

Leaving her by the fire to get warm, I dug out a selection of vegetables and herbs from our supplies to make a soup. I wasn’t much of a cook, admittedly, except for grilling fish of course. But I’d learned a little from helping her prepare meals and from watching her in the kitchen, and I thought I could manage to produce a simple vegetable soup. I felt that would be the very thing to both warm and nourish us after our escapade.

While the soup simmered, we discussed the fish-people’s request. She said the flower they’d described to her was a tall spike of small, royal purple flowers that grew in the alpine meadows above the tree line near the peaks. It was also supposed to be mainly a mid-summer bloom, so it was questionable if we’d be able to find it at all—though certainly we’d try.

* * *

 

The next day, we reached the tree line just before noon. We had ridden the wolves up the mountain, since they were both fast and sure-footed over all manner of terrain. Dismounting, we looked across the alpine meadows before us. It was a beautiful sight—large expanses of colorful, low-growing plants spreading like a massive patchwork quilt across the landscape. A small lake occupied a depression on the far side of the meadow, and boulders dotted the field at irregular intervals. A herd of wild animals similar to woolies, only shaggy rather than fluffy and with great curved horns, grazed alongside the lake, and smaller creatures that reminded me of furbies scampered through the colorful groundcover. A variety of birds flitted through the air or scurried along the ground.

We immediately began to search for spikes of purple flowers, but neither of us spotted any purple flowers at all. Autumn appeared to have arrived early at that altitude. We searched other meadows on other mountains, but after two days of hunting to no avail, it was plain that whatever this flower’s season was, we’d missed it entirely. Returning to camp on the evening of the second day, tired and frustrated by our fruitless endeavors, Avani started preparing a stew while I built the fire back up again.

As I sat and tended the fire, I pondered our dilemma. “I wonder if anyone in town would have an alternative to this plant?” I thought aloud after several minutes.

Avani looked up at me, pausing in her preparations as she thought. “Well, Jones or Nancy seem the most likely to know about that. But I really doubt that they know the physiology of fish-people. Maybe medicines and plants that are fine for humans aren’t safe for them. But….” she trailed off into silence as she meditatively sliced some carrots.

“But?” I prompted her, a few minutes later.

She started, apparently absorbed in thought. “Oh, well… I was just wondering if anyone might cultivate this flower. I mean, if it has some medicinal use… maybe someone somewhere grows it. I was just thinking I could pop back to Selphia to make some quick inquiries. Arthur might know of someone—he knows so many different people in so many different areas of commerce all around the world.”

“But if its season has passed….”

She shook her head. “Its season is based on the weather at high altitudes. If it’s cultivated at lower altitudes, that would extend its season. Plus there’s always greenhouses, too.”

“Yes, good point. Well, My Lady, perhaps that would be a worthwhile effort. Do you want to go in the morning? And shall I accompany you?”

“Yes, I thought I’d leave right after breakfast. I should be able to use escape to return to town—though it’ll be a little draining to go so far that way. Then I think I’ll ride Marina back—she’ll enjoy a swim in the lake before she returns, since even Dragon Lake is a little small for her. As for whether you come with me or not, it’s up to you. I don’t really need any help asking around, so if you’d prefer to stay and fish or something….”

With a grin, I rose and strolled over to her, wrapping my arms around her waist and kissing her ear. “I think I _would_ rather stay and fish—the fishing here is fantastic. But as for ‘something’… the only ‘something’ that comes to _my_ mind, I just can’t do as enjoyably without you.” I returned to tending the fire and let her get back to her preparations, but after our meal was finished and the mess cleaned up, I pulled her smilingly along to our tent to remind her—lest she’d forgotten since early that morning—just exactly _which_ things were so much more enjoyable with her participation.

* * *

 

Once inside our tent, I ran my fingers through her long hair as she reached up and traced the marks on my face. I didn’t know if the marked skin was just especially sensitive, or if the markings themselves somehow caused a heightened sensitivity, like a charm of some sort, or if it was nothing more than my response to _her_ touch in particular—all I knew was that every time she ran a delicate fingertip along my tattoos, it sent electric shocks exploding through me.

Shivering with pleasure at her touch, I leaned down and nibbled from her ear along her jaw and to her neck as I slid my hands beneath her shirt. I lifted it over her head and off, then reached behind her, caressing her back before unfastening her bra and letting it fall to the ground. She gave a brief shudder as the cool night air rushed over her warm skin, causing her nipples to harden into erect points. Pressing herself into my warmth, she slipped my vest off as she leaned up to invite a kiss—which I was more than happy to give.

Slipping my turban off and dropping it to the ground, she wove her fingers through my hair, pulling me closer to her. “Tell me again how you love me,” she whispered into my ear.

Smiling to myself, I slid her trousers and panties to the ground before lifting her up and laying her down on the soft featherbed that took up most of the tent floor. Removing my belt and sliding my trousers and boxers past my hips until they fell alongside her clothing, I stretched out next to her and halfway across her, caressing her shivering skin until her inner heat warmed her.

I kissed her neck and cheek, murmuring throatily, “I love you as the flowers love the sun, as the stars love the moon. I love you as the birds love the sky and the fish love the sea, as the dying love life and as the living love the dying. I love you with a love that puts every other love to shame, with a love that is greater than the sum of all other loves in the history of the world. I love you with every inch and fiber and grain of my being, with all my heart and mind and spirit. I love you as I love the air that I breathe, and I love you forever and for all time. The moon and the sun and the stars in the sky will grow cold and die before my love for you cools. _That_ is how I love you: as only Leon can love Avani.”

She reached her arms around my neck, pulling me closer to her. Her lips met mine, and our tongues caressed in a sensual kiss. She held me tightly, one hand tangled in my hair while she lightly ran the nails of her other hand up and down my spine, sending my pulse racing. As my erection pressed more and more insistently into the softness of her thigh, her breathing became increasingly ragged until, at last, she broke free of our kiss and began to urgently kiss and nip at my neck.

Groaning as a wave of heat washed over me, I covered her body with mine and buried my face in her neck, nipping and sucking and tasting her saltiness. Opening herself to me, she entwined her legs with mine as she reached down to guide me. As I pushed into the wetness and heat awaiting me, she grabbed my hips with a gasp, gripping me tightly in her need.

My senses overwhelmed with the intensity of the pleasure she gave to me, I nipped and then bit the tender skin where her neck and shoulder met as I began to thrust, and she cried out my name breathlessly. Desire built upon desire until at last she arched her back, her cries matching the rhythmic convulsions wrapping around me, squeezing me as I thrust deeper and faster into her until I, too, cried out as I issued my release deep into her warm, slippery embrace.

We lay like that for some time, catching our breath, entwined in each other’s arms and legs and lips and hair, until the sweat on my back cooled enough to chill me. I reached over to grab the blankets we’d shoved out of the way and pulled them over us before we fell asleep, still tangled together.

Before drifting into slumber, she reached a still-trembling hand up to caress my cheek. “I love you, too, as only Avani can love Leo,” she whispered drowsily, then sleep overtook us both.


	52. Chapter 52

The next morning, as soon as we’d cleared up from breakfast, Avani kissed me farewell. Then she incanted Escape, and in a flash of light, she was gone. I sat and stared at the empty place where she’d stood only moments before, finally rising with a sigh some time later. I found that fishing had lost all its appeal after her departure, but not wanting to just sit around and mope all day, I called Fenrir to me.

Although Avani was the one who had tamed the fierce golden wolf, he had soon afterwards attached himself to me, especially during the time when she spiraled so near to madness after Venti’s death. Baldur had been jealous of his barn-mate before—his devotion, affection, and loyalty to his mistress ran deep—and he’d made every effort to ensure that Fenrir knew his place. But when Fenrir turned his attention to me rather than Avani, Baldur finally relaxed his guard. Soon the two wolves were boon companions, to such an extent that they were virtually inseparable. Thus, when I called for Fenrir, both wolves appeared. I instructed Thor and Charmie to keep guard over the campsite, and mounting the gigantic wolf, I rode off towards the mountains. I decided that, to help pass the time until Avani returned, I’d search the subalpine woods in the hopes that perhaps a stray bloom or two might be found.

The trees at that altitude had very little in the way of undergrowth, which made searching for any sign of the brilliant purple flowers slightly easier. I was searching on and around a massive nurse log when from behind me I heard Fenrir give a low, warning growl, quickly joined by Baldur. I spun around, and saw a man not far from where I crouched. Standing stock still with his back pressed against a large tree, he stared wide-eyed at the wolves, who placed themselves between us, hackles raised and ears flattened as they snarled. I walked over to stand between the two wolves, calling to him, “Who are you, and what is your business here?”

His eyes grew even larger as he gaped at me—no doubt startled by my vulpine features. Pressing further back against the tree trunk, he stammered in a raspy, thickly-accented voice, “A-are you a-a god? A wolf-god?”

I stared at him for a moment, then laughed heartily. “No, stranger, I am a man, neither more nor less.” I looked him over as he slowly relaxed, still eyeing the wolves nervously, though they had quieted at my touch. His was the face of an elderly man—leathery and wrinkled with age and exposure. His hair and eyes were pale grey-green, the color of the lichen clinging to the trees of the forest, and he wore simple but slightly tattered clothing. His skin was tanned to a deep golden brown, and he carried a gnarled walking stick and a battered rucksack. From a leather belt about his waist hung a variety of small pouches.

“Green hair again? I had believed it was an uncommon shade, but I must have been mistaken. I thought these lands were unpopulated—are you from these parts?”

“You… _you_ thought _green hair_ was unusual?” he said incredulously, looking up at my ears and then down at my tail.

I gave him a wry smile. “Touché. Tell me, are there others in the area? Or are you just passing through?”

“I am the servant of my people’s healer. He has sent me to scour the wildlands for herbs for his medicines, as he is running low on certain plants that are not so readily available closer to our home. My tribe does not live near these mountains, but several days’ journey to the south and east of here.”

My ears pricked up at that. “Herbs, eh? Tell me, I’ve been searching for a particular plant that I hear can be found on these mountains, near the peaks. It’s a low-growing plant with spikes of small, deep purple blooms, and it has some medicinal value. Do you know of it, and if so, where might I find it so late in the summer?”

He thought for a moment, then said, “I believe you speak of the flower we call adri dala—cloudwort in your language. It has some medicinal properties, I believe, but we only rarely use it ourselves. However, I have seen it growing in the mountain meadows here, though never this late in the year.”

I sighed. “Well, thank you anyway for your help. I feared that was the case.” I started to turn away, when the old man made a startled exclamation.

“Sir, please, wait a minute! Did you… did you say you’d seen others with green hair? Are they around here? Perhaps they are some of my tribe.”

I shook my head. “I doubt it. There are two ladies in my hometown that have green hair and eyes. And neither of them speaks with your accent.”

“Ahh, pity. Still, perhaps they are distantly related—green hair tends to run in families, I think.”

“I suppose that could be. Well, thanks again. May your hunt be rewarding,” I said, turning to mount Fenrir.

“Oh, sir—one last word. Pray tell where you are from? In case I should stumble across some unseasonable cluster of cloudwort, so that I may get it to you.”

I looked at him speculatively—his offer was kind, but there was an odd light in his eyes that made me hesitate. “I doubt you’d be able to get it to me in time, as we live on the northern border. But I thank you for your offer.”

Again I turned away, and again he called out to me. “The northern border? What towns lie so near the frozen northlands of the Sechs Empire?”

Frowning at his persistent inquisitiveness, I said, “Selphia is its name, but again, it’s too far from here to matter even if you did find any cloudwort. Thank you again for your help, but I’d best be going. Pleasant journeys.” Then I finally succeeded in escaping long enough to mount Fenrir and head back to camp. Feeling some discomfort from the stranger’s odd behavior, I took a circuitous route back to camp.

* * *

 

When I reached the camp some little while later, Avani had already returned and was pacing anxiously to and fro, watching for my return. She ran to meet me, throwing her arms around me as soon as I leaped down from Fenrir’s back.

“I think I’ve found it!” she exclaimed joyfully as I returned her embrace. Leading me back towards the fire that she’d built up while waiting for me, she continued. “First I asked Nancy and Jones. They’d never heard of a medicinal plant like I described, so I went to Arthur next. Unfortunately, he’d never heard of it either, though he said he’d ask around. But as I was discussing it with him, Raven happened to stop by. She heard me describing it to him, and after he said he’d never heard of it, she commented that she thought she might have. She’s from Sharance, you know, which is up in the mountains a ways north of here. It seems that their village healer cultivates some of the harder-to-find species of medicinal plant, and apparently healers from all over the country buy them from her. Oh, and you’ll never guess what it’s called!”

“Cloudwort?” I asked, grinning at the look of slack-jawed astonishment on her face.

“How…?”

“You finish your story first, then I’ll tell you mine,” I instructed her.

Looking bewildered, she paused for a moment before continuing. “A-anyway, she said she’d talk to the healer tonight when she goes home, and I’m to meet up with her tomorrow morning to see if she succeeded in laying her hands on some. If she doesn’t… if she was mistaken, or if the healer doesn’t have any… I don’t know what we’ll do.” She bit her lip and furrowed her brow as she thought about it.

“We don’t have a choice in the matter, my love. Remember what Xiao told you while we were piecing together Maria’s message? Sometimes you can try and try and try and _still_ fail—and that’s okay, because at least you _tried_. If Raven can’t get it, and if Arthur’s contact don’t turn anything helpful up, then we won’t have a choice but to wait until next summer.”

“But… but that might be too late!” she exclaimed in dismay.

“Yes, it might. But at least we’re trying, love. If we hadn’t stumbled across that lake, they might have been waiting in vain for someone to help them clear up until the day she died, each day feeling more hopeless than the last. At least now they have a ray of hope, however slender.”

She sighed and leaned against me as we sat before the fire, thinking our individual thoughts in silence. After a few minutes she sat up and looked at me. “Oh—so how is it that you knew the name of that flower?”

I gave her a brief summary of my meeting with the strange old man and his search for medicinal herbs. “So it’s just possible that he’ll find some!” she exclaimed in excitement. “Did you tell him where to find our camp?”

Hesitating briefly, I admitted, “No… I didn’t. To be honest, he made me uncomfortable. There was something strange about him—a shiftiness in his eyes that I didn’t like. In fact, I was thinking that we should return to town. It’s lovely here, but… well, to be honest, I feel as though our privacy has been shattered. I only have his word as to what he was doing in the mountains, after all—for all I know, his purposes are far less noble than those he gave. And I also only have his word that he’s alone. So depending on how things go tomorrow, I think we should break camp and return home tomorrow, or the next day at the latest. But,” I added as she protested her disappointment, “let’s come back next summer for a longer trip if at all possible. We can bring some others with us, if you would like, or come by ourselves. Whatever you prefer.”

She sighed and leaned back against me. “I… I suppose you’re right. It wouldn’t even have occurred to me to doubt him, honestly. I would have just taken what he said at face value.”

I put my arms around her as I replied with a smile, “Your generous, trusting nature is one of the many things I find so endearing about you. Don’t ever change that, My Lady.”

* * *

 

The next morning, she again returned to Selphia to meet with Raven. I stayed behind, and this time I did in fact go fishing—one last morning of fishing before our departure. I hadn’t slept well that night, constantly on my guard, listening to and analyzing every little sound I heard.

I returned to camp an hour or so later with a fine string of large, fat fish and set to cleaning them. I was almost done when I spotted Marina overhead, racing across the sky like a shooting star. She descended in a wide spiral over the lake, finally landing on the shore as I hurried down to meet them. Avani slid down from her neck, and she slithered off and dove down into the lake, presumably for a swim and a meal.

From her triumphant demeanor, I assumed she’d met with success, though admittedly her natural exuberance could make it hard to be certain at times. However, I was correct that time at least, as she held aloft a bundle of vividly purple flower stalks as she ran up to me with a huge grin on her face. “Well done, My Lady, well done indeed,” I said as I lifted her up in a big hug. “I was just finishing cleaning some fish when you returned, so let’s have our meal and head up to the cave as soon as we’ve finished.”

We ate our fill of sizzling grilled fish, feeding the raw, boned fillets I’d set aside earlier to the monsters while our fish cooked. Then we cleaned up our campsite and, mounting the wolves, headed up the mountain towards the cave.

Once there, we retraced our path to the pool deep in the caverns. Kneeling at the edge of the water, Avani lit a lantern and held it aloft. A few moments later, one of the fish-people broke the surface and swam over to her.

Even with the lantern, the cave was dimly lit; however, it was still bright enough for my eyes to see the creature more clearly than before. His head and torso were certainly human-like, but also definitely _not_ human. On either side of his short, thick neck was a set of small fins, and if he had ears, they were not visible. His unblinking eyes were unusually large, and his nose was flattened almost out of existence. His teeth, when he opened his mouth, were more like the sharp, fine teeth of a fish than those of a man. His head was covered with long, flowing, hair-like strands that did not appear to be quite exactly hair, but rather nearer to some long, delicate tendrils or filaments. Short spikes protruded from his elbows, and when he extended his hand in greeting to us, I saw that his short fingers were heavily webbed and ended in short claws rather than nails.

After pressing his hand against first Avani’s and then mine, he proceeded to address her with a series of the unusual clicks and shrill squawks of which their language appeared to be comprised. Avani nodded her head, somehow understanding their alien tongue. She grinned at the fish-man, and he grimaced in what appeared to be an attempt to mimic her smile. She reached into her pack and pulled the bundle of flowers out, handing them over to him. He took them almost reverently, then with another outburst of speech, he dove down into the pool, vanishing from sight.

She turned to me and smiled as she sat down on the rocky floor of the cave. “He asked us to wait here until he returns. He says it will take a little time, but to please be patient.”

I sat down close to her and put an arm around her. “Hmm… however shall we pass the time while we wait?” I murmured, breathing into her ear.

She giggled as she leaned into me, saying, “And what if he returns earlier than expected?”

Pulling her onto my lap, I said, “Well, love, just how do you suppose they get more little fish-men and fish-women?”

She laughed her musical laugh as she caressed my bare chest with one of her hands. “Then in that case…” and she reached her hand up behind my neck and pulled my face to hers.

* * *

 

Some time later, we were sitting spent and entwined, me with my back against a large stalagmite a little ways from the pool, and her still straddling my lap, when we heard a splash in the water. We quickly rose, adjusted our clothing, and brushed the dust off our legs as we hurried back over to the pool. Avani again knelt at the edge of the water, while I stood behind her.

The same fish-man as before was there, and another waited beside him—larger, stronger, and older in appearance, he seemed to be a leader of some sort. He looked up at Avani and me, then both of them slapped the surface of the water with their tails as they lowered their heads. Rocking back on her heels in surprise at this peculiar display, Avani waited to see what happened next. The older fish-man looked up at her and began to speak in his language. After a moment, she began to translate for me.

“He says that he is the king of this tribe, and the sick princess is his eldest daughter and heir. Their healer has made the medicine and given it to her, and he says that already she has begun to show improvement. He further says that his gratitude knows no bounds, as he is greatly attached to his daughter. However, resources are scarce in these cavernous lakes, so his ability to express his thanks for our efforts is limited. He therefore offers, as tokens of his appreciation, these two charms, carved long ago by a master of the craft, in the days when their magic was stronger.”

Each fish-man placed an item into her outstretched hands, which she then examined before passing them to me. Both were carved of gemstones. One was a fat fish carved from a beautiful, translucent stone that, as far as I could determine in the poor light of the lantern, was a pale green shade. The other was a circular flattened cabochon carved out of some opaque, dark blue stone, with a compass rose carved into the top surface.

While I examined the charms, the fish-king continued to speak to Avani, and she continued to translate for me. The fish-shaped charm, she said, would bring luck in fishing—just wear it on the hand that holds the pole or attach it directly to the pole itself. The round charm would bring us safety from any aquatic creature—upon seeing it, all such creatures would refrain from directly harming the bearer and all who accompanied him or her.

As we conveyed our appreciation to the king, another creature broke the surface of the water. I looked over to see a fish- _woman_ swimming towards us, and as repulsive as the males of the species were, was she as lovely. Dusky rose hair spread out on the surface of the dark water as she emerged, her lithe, rose-pink tail undulating gracefully. Her face was very human and superlatively beautiful, with a generous mouth and large, violet eyes thickly framed with long lashes, and she wore a strand of smooth pearls around her elegant, slender neck. When she reached the edge of the pool, she hoisted herself up to sit on the rocky border, strands of her long, damp hair curving delicately around her full, round breasts. Her figure tapered to a tiny waist, then swelled into the curves of her smooth, pink tail. She held out a slender, graceful hand, pressing her palm to ours in greeting, then flipped her long, roseate hair over her shoulders, displaying delicate ears adorned with tiny, creamy pearls.

Looking first at me and then at Avani, she spoke in a mellifluous voice, using our language. “It was my wish to thank you personally for the service you have rendered me. I had all but despaired of aid when you arrived, and knowing the passage of seasons, I felt fresh despair that you wouldn’t find the necessary reagent before my demise. The illness was a painful wasting disease—fortunately, my recovery has been as rapid as the sickness was slow, and I am already nearly fully recovered. You have my gratitude and the gratitude of my people. Should we ever be able to render you a service in return, we will gladly do so.”

Then with that, the three fish-folk dove back down into the water, each thrashing their tail in a final farewell before disappearing, leaving only a mass of ripples behind. We watched until the ripples dispersed, then made our way out into the waning sunlight. Mounting our wolves, we returned to camp.

The next day, we broke camp and headed back to Selphia. Since we were travelling solely by ground, we spread our journey out over a few days, moving at a relaxed pace. When we finally reached the town, we’d been away for almost two weeks—two very enjoyable, idyllic weeks.

Now it was time to settle down and begin our new life together.

* * *

 

_Some weeks later, in the chilly light of the late winter moon at midnight, two figures met deep in the dense, tropical forest: one tall and powerfully built, the other short and wizened, both male. The shorter figure crept slavishly up to the tall man, and hissed in a low, rasping voice, “My Lord, I think I have word of_ her _at last!”_

_“Speak, then,” the other said in a rich bass voice, folding his arms over his chest as he waited impatiently._

_“In my travels, I met a man—a very strange man, with the ears and tail of a dog. He exclaimed over my green hair, and said in his hometown there was not one but_ two _women with green hair and eyes.”_

_“And? Is that all you have for me?” the younger man said scornfully._

_“That was all I could get from him, my Lord—he was cagey and wily! He doubted my story, I could see, though it was true enough. And I dared not follow him—he was guarded by two vicious wolves as large as horses, perhaps even larger!”_

_Snarling a derisive oath, the tall man raised his foot as if to kick the groveling figure before him, who held up one hand in supplication as he covered his head with the other. “Wait! Wait, my Lord! There_ is _one other thing I learned!”_

_Pausing, his foot poised in mid-air, he growled, “Well?”_

_“Selphia, my Lord! The man is from the town of Selphia on the northern border, where the Dragon Ventuswill resides! That… that is suggestive, isn’t it, my Lord?”_

_Returning his foot to the ground, the tall man turned and gazed towards the north. A slow, cruel smile spread across his sensuous lips, and he said, as if to himself, “Yes… yes, it is indeed suggestive.”_


	53. Chapter 53

One day near the end of fall, Barrett brought his children to Selphia. His divorce had been finalized some time ago, and sadly, he saw his children only infrequently. However, his ex-wife apparently had just remarried, and so their children had come to stay with him while she and her new husband went on their honeymoon trip, which was to last several days. His son looked to be about ten years of age, give or take a little, and was a solemn, steady fellow—much like his father. His daughter, however, looked like she was about three, and she was an adorable little bundle of mischief.

I had long since recovered from my previous envy of the scholar. In fact, the three of us were all good friends by this time, and we often spent an evening of dining and discussion together. We usually gathered at our home in the castle, although Barrett had purchased a small but cozy house on Melody Street, and he occasionally invited us to join him there.

The first evening that he had his children with him, Avani invited them to come to supper. While the three adults sat and talked, Leonel quietly read, quite the budding young scholar. But his little sister swarmed all over the place, running through the rooms and up and down the stairs with a reckless abandon, shrieking with glee as she explored every nook and cranny. Even though she'd only been with him for the day, Barrett already appeared at his wit's end.

Seeing his bemusement, Avani proposed that he, Leonel, and I walk over and have a leisurely dinner at Porcoline's restaurant, while she stayed home with Yuri. Barrett seemed concerned, but she laughingly assured him that seeing she'd conquered dragons, demons, and even one powerful madman with aspirations of godhood, she could surely amuse a three-year old girl for a few hours. Besides, she said, cutting short his protest, she could see that he needed a break. He looked at me, but I just shrugged, then grabbed our coats and tossed his to him. "If she says go, you go. You don't argue with Avani," I said, looking at her with a grin. She just rolled her eyes and shooed us out the door with a laugh, closing it quickly behind us to keep the warmth inside.

Hesitating, Barrett looked worriedly at the door. "Will she be okay, do you think?"

I thumped him on the back with a grin. "Buck up, old man. She'll be fine. Avani won't let any harm come to her—you can depend on that."

He turned a startled face to me. "I meant, will _Avani_ be okay," he said in surprise. I just stared at him, nonplussed.

* * *

 

We lingered over our meal and coffee afterwards, then I ordered two slices of chocolate cake to take back to Avani and Yuri. The sun had set, and twilight had all but given way to the darkness of night as we left the restaurant. When we reached the back door, the house was dark and still. I opened the door uneasily, and took a look around as Barrett anxiously pushed his way past me. I lit the lamp on the bedside table, illuminating the main chamber with a golden glow.

There in one of the big, comfortable chairs next to the unlit fireplace sat Avani, with little Yuri cuddled up on her lap. Both were sound asleep, and a storybook lay open on the floor, apparently having slipped from her grasp. As the three of us stood quietly watching them, Yuri stirred in her sleep, then turned and flung her arms around Avani, nestling her cheek against her chest as she settled back into a sound sleep. It was such a charming sight, I was loathe to disturb them.

But Barrett was fatigued from his unusually busy day and wanted to get the children settled down for the night, so he carefully lifted his small daughter into his arms. She reached her arms sleepily around his neck, resting her cheek on his shoulder without fully waking. Avani's eyes flew open, startled by the sudden absence of her small companion. Seeing us standing there, she rose with a yawn and a stretch. She smiled a beautiful, tender smile at the sleeping child, saying quietly, "Did you guys have a good time? Yuri was no trouble at all. Soon after you left, I fed her some creamy noodles, carrots, and a fruit smoothie. After dinner, we played for a little bit, then she asked for a story. She fell asleep while I was reading to her, and I guess I must have dozed off soon after."

Barrett looked surprised. "You mean… she didn't break anything? Or have any tantrums?" When Avani shook her head, he smiled a half smile, saying, "You must really have a way with kids, then. Thank you. I appreciate the break."

She smiled broadly at him. "Any time, Barrett. I had a lot of fun with her. She's a sweet girl, and very bright. Just let me know if you'd like me to watch your kids again for you—I'd be delighted to."

"I just might take you up on that," he said as he turned to head out the door and to his home.

* * *

 

The next morning, Barrett stopped by to ask Avani if she would watch the kids for a couple of hours, as he had a meeting with Arthur and couldn't bring them with him. She cheerfully agreed, and Yuri bounced happily over to her, wild with delight. Leonel, on the other hand, scowled at her and then at his father. "I don't _want_ to stay with Avani, Dad," he protested resentfully, folding his arms across his chest. "Mom says it's all _her_ fault that you guys got divorced. I _hate_ her! She ruined everything!"

"Leonel Spenser!" Barrett reprimanded him angrily in his booming voice. "Apologize right this minute! That is no way to speak to a lady!"

Avani placed a hand on his arm. "No, it's okay, Barrett. Don't blame him—he's only repeating what he's been told. He doesn't know any better." She turned and looked down at the sullen boy glaring angrily at her. She crouched down next to him, looking him eye to eye. "I'm very sorry about what happened with your family, Leonel. Your dad and I are quite fond of each other, but _only_ as good friends—nothing more. I had nothing at all to do with your parents' divorce."

"I don't believe you," the boy said angrily, then he turned and fled out the door to the courtyard.

"Leonel!" Avani and Barrett both shouted after him, but he ignored them and sped out the town gates into the wilderness.

"Watch Yuri, will you? I'd better go look for him," Barrett called as he ran after his son.

Avani looked at me, her brow furrowed in concern. "I think we'd better help him, Leo. Three sets of eyes are better than one, and I have a feeling he isn't going to make it easy for us to find him. You saw how fast he was—he would have been long out of sight by the time Barrett reached the plains. I'll ask Clorica to watch Yuri, if you'll go grab our gear. We'd better be prepared for combat, just in case." Then lifting the small, bewildered girl in her arms, she set off towards the butlers' quarters.

She returned a few minutes later, just as I was buckling my heavy boots and shrugging into my armor. Avani quickly suited up, and we followed behind. We had no idea where either Leonel or Barrett might be, so as we started down the path out of town, Avani thought out loud. "If I were Leonel… if I were a kid that was mad at my parents and hurt and resentful… where would I go? I think I'd want someplace to hide away, someplace that was not easy to find me—just to make it more difficult for whoever was looking for me. And I might even pick someplace dangerous, without really thinking it through, just because that danger would make it even harder. It would also need to be someplace he'd know about, even though he's not familiar with the area, and that he could find…." Then she looked at me in a panic, the blood draining from her face. "Oh, gods and dragons, Leo. He'll go to Leon Karnak! An unarmed, untrained, ten-year-old boy, alone on that tower. We have to hurry!" And with that, she bolted down the path leading west.

As we paused at the gate to the haunted manor house to catch our breath, I put an arm around her shoulders. Her adrenaline response was such that I could feel her shaking through her armor, even after her run. "Stay calm, My Lady. We don't know for sure that's where he is. Barrett may even have found him by this time and returned to the castle."

She shook her head and looked up at me, still panting as she tried to catch her breath. "Think about it, Leo. From the city gates, for as far as you can see, there's nothing that really stands out on the horizon—only woods and distant mountains and the occasional clearing or lake. _Except_ Leon Karnak. It rises so high, he'd be able to see it from anywhere for miles around and make his way to it. And he would almost certainly have heard about it from his dad. Unless he's run into trouble on the way there, I'm _sure_ that's where we'll find him. I just hope…." She trailed off, biting her lip, then dashed off at a run again towards the tower.

* * *

 

The exterior of Leon Karnak was surrounded with terraces, most of which were connected by ladders, though some used ramps or even warp points. When we arrived at the base of the tower, there was—as usual—no sign of life. After hunting around the base with growing desperation, Avani flung herself at the ladder to the first terrace, climbing it rapidly despite her cumbersome armor and weapons.

The lower terraces were largely populated by tough gangs of goblins, whose weapons of choice were throwing knives. Quickly dispatching them and inspecting the terrace to no avail, we climbed to another terrace. Then another, and another. Finally we stood at the base of the ramp leading up to the lair of the grimoire, a species of dragon particularly known for its cruelty and intelligence. Just as Avani started up the ramp, we heard the dragon bellow in rage, and a terrified scream.

Moving as if she'd suddenly sprouted wings, she flew up the ramp. I followed as quickly as I could, arriving just in time to see her dive between a small, hunched up figure and an infuriated grimoire already in mid-attack. Unable to alter its course, it came heavily down on her, its thick neck knocking her to the side. I dove in and snatched up the boy before it could regroup and claim its prey. Avani shouted to me, "Leo, he's hurt! Get him to the clinic! I'll hold the grimoire off while you get away and join you there you as soon as I can—go!"

I hated to leave her, but I could see blood soaking the child's clothing. So without further ado, I cast Escape until we were back at the city gates, then rushed him to Jones. The doctor took one look at him, then shouted for Nancy, who came running down the stairs from their second-floor home. Grimly, they set to work, peeling away tattered and bloodied clothing, cleaning and stitching his many wounds. The analgesic was slow to take effect, and they started before it had completely numbed him, not wanting to delay, and the poor boy cried out and shook from the pain until finally the medication kicked in.

They were nearly finished when Barrett burst in, pale with shock. Leonel was all but unconscious from exhaustion and medication, but he managed to give his dad a weak smile before slipping into oblivion. Barrett knelt next to him, holding his hand tightly as Jones and Nancy applied salves and medicated ointments to the burns and wounds. After they left, he told me that upon his return to town, he'd been informed of our return by the guard on duty at the gate, and he'd rushed over as fast as he could.

I filled him in on Avani's intuition, and how we found him about to be devoured by a grimoire. Then I realized how long it had been since I'd fled with the boy, and still she hadn't returned. I began to feel the first stirrings of concern, and told Barrett that she should be back by now, and that I was concerned that she wasn't. Standing quickly, I took my leave of him to go in search of her.

* * *

 

I returned to the tower Karnak and climbed the terraces just as I had done several hours before—dodging monsters when I could, for the sake of speed, and fighting only when it was unavoidable. Soon I reached the ramp to grimoire's lair, and with serious misgivings, I mounted the ramp to its perch.

When I reached the top, I found the grimoire collapsed on the floor of its lair, unconscious but not quite dead. I quickly dispatched it, sending it back to the Forest of Beginnings, and looked around. After several minutes of searching through the mists that enshrouded the aerie, I tripped over something lying on the ground. Bending down to take a closer look, I found it was Avani. My heart stopped as I threw my spear and shield aside and bent over her. After a moment, I found she was alive—barely. She was breathing, even if her breathing was ragged and shallow; her heart was beating, even if weakly. I gathered her up gently in my arms and cast Escape to return to town, rushing to the clinic yet again.

Jones looked grave as he examined her, and I felt my chest tighten at the expression on his face. She was battered almost beyond recognition, and her skin and clothing were slashed and scorched. A massive dent in her armor looked as if it ought to have broken her ribs, it was so deep, and her hair was matted with sticky, half-dried blood. The physician sat down and looked up at me. "Well, she's in pretty bad shape. I can't do much for her in her present condition—she'd go into shock, and that could possibly kill her. So as unorthodox as it is, I'd like to ask _you_ to heal her. If you can magically repair the damage to her internal organs and restore some strength to her, I can take over and finish the job."

I knelt next to her, taking her hand in mine and leaning forward to rest my forehead lightly against her chest. Alarmed at how much more shallow her breathing had become in the few minutes since I'd found her, I closed my eyes and cast a healing spell, then another and yet another. I had no energy left at all after three incantations, after all the fighting I'd done earlier. But it was enough. I felt her chest heave, and she coughed and choked, gasping for air. Jones moved in quickly and began to work over her, and I moved out of the way. Nancy arrived a moment later, having settled Leonel as comfortably as she could, and shooed me out to wait in the front room so that they had space to work.

* * *

 

Barrett had moved out to the front room, too, sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting area. I threw myself down into the chair next to his, burying my face in my hands. After a couple of minutes of silence, he awkwardly patted my shoulder. "Hey," he said, somewhat uncertainly, "she'll be okay. She's a strong woman—she'll pull through. I'm sure of it."

I just shook my head without raising it. "You didn't see her, Barrett. I've never seen her hurt so badly before. I've never seen _anyone_ hurt so badly. Jones… he even asked me to cast healing spells on her, because she was too severely injured for him to do anything for her. I cast as many as I could, until I had nothing left—no more energy for spellcasting. I should have gone right back. I shouldn't have left her in the first place. I should have been there to protect her."

He remained silent for a few moments, digesting what I'd told him. "I know I'm not really in a position to offer much comfort. I mean, it's my fault—or my son's fault, which is essentially the same thing—that she's so badly hurt. But I do know you can't beat yourself up over what's already been said or done. You can't be there for her all day, every day. And you know she wouldn't want you to… to fight her battles for her. She's strong and independent, and I know that _you_ know she would feel smothered if you tried to keep her out of harm's way all the time. Even if somehow the unthinkable happens and she doesn't pull through… you _know_ she wouldn't want you to blame yourself for what happened. She takes responsibility for her own actions, she doesn't blame others for the outcome."

I sighed, still clutching my head. "I… I know. But…."

Before I could finish my sentence, Jones stepped out. His normally pristine lab coat was splattered with fine flecks of red, and he looked exhausted, as if he, too, had been in heavy combat. He rubbed his bloodshot eyes tiredly as he walked towards me, then he looked down at me, his face solemn. I jumped up from my seat, on tenterhooks as I waited with bated breath for him to give me the news, whether good or ill.


	54. Chapter 54

Empty, lifeless, sea-green eyes, thickly fringed with dark green lashes, stared skyward. I gathered her up in my arms, the aching emptiness consuming me from within as I howled my grief to the universe.

I awoke with a start and found that I’d fallen asleep with my head resting on her chest, where, to my immeasurable relief, her heart beat even more strongly than the last time I’d listened. Her hand was still clasped in mine—even in sleep, neither of us had let go of the other. I sat up, and looked into a pair of stricken azure eyes staring at me from across her bed.

“Will… will she be okay?” Leonel asked in a barely audible whisper.

I smiled sympathetically at him as I nodded. “Yes. She just needs rest—lots and lots of rest—right now. But she’s going to be fine.”

His shoulders slumped as he breathed a sigh of relief. “She… she _saved_ me. Even though I said I hated her, she _still_ saved me. That big dragon was… it was going to eat me. I was so scared, I couldn’t even move.”

I hadn’t noticed him there before, but now I saw Barrett leaning against the doorway, watching his son. He walked over, crouched down next to him, and put his arm around the boy’s thin shoulders. Leonel leaned against his dad, then continued, hesitantly. “She ran right between me and the dragon just as it was about to bite me. That… that’s the last thing I remember until I woke up when you were running down the street, carrying me here.”

I nodded. “You blacked out. Perfectly reasonable thing to do under the circumstances.”

“That dragon… it almost killed her, didn’t it? And it would’ve been all _my_ fault if she’d died. Why’d she do it? Why would she risk her life like that, after I was so mean to her?”

“Because she cares,” I replied simply, glancing down at my sleeping wife, my heart full to bursting with my love for her.

He blinked in surprise at my reply, and thought for a minute. “Mom was wrong about her,” he said matter-of-factly, looking up at his dad.

Barrett hesitated, then nodded. “Yes. She was wrong.” He sighed, then stroking Leonel’s hair, he said, “You’re old enough, son, to know that sometimes people would rather believe a lie than accept the truth. And that’s what happened with your mom. It was just easier for her to blame Avani, even though she was innocent, than to deal with the _real_ problem.”

“What _was_ the real problem, Dad? Why couldn’t you and Mom stay married?” he asked, a little tremulously.

Staring over Leonel’s head at nothing, Barrett didn’t answer right away. After a few minutes, he closed his eyes and said, “In the end, we just couldn’t be happy with each other. So your mom decided to leave, to be free to find happiness on her own.”

“I guess that’s why she married Marco, isn’t it? Because he makes her happy?” Barrett nodded, and he looked at his dad curiously. “What about _you_ , Dad? Are you happier now, too?”

Barrett looked in surprise at him. “I… don’t know, son. I haven’t figured that out yet.” Then he ruffled the boy’s hair and stood up, saying, “Come on. You’ve had your visit, now let’s go and let Avani sleep in peace. You can talk to her when she’s awake and stronger.”

Leonel nodded and rose, and they quietly left, raising their hands to me in silent farewell.

* * *

 

All in all, Avani slept for thirty-nine hours. I stayed by her side the whole time, waiting and watching as her wounds mended. I could, of course, have simply healed her once my energy had replenished… but after consulting with Jones and Nancy, I decided against it. She’d clearly been through quite an ordeal, though we didn’t yet know the details, and allowing her a period of rest and recuperation seemed wise. Magic could mend wounds, but it couldn’t take the place of sleep. So I kept watch over her for a night and a day and another night as she slept and recovered, her bruises darkening even more dramatically before beginning to fade, the stitched-up gashes closing, the swelling going down.

When she finally awoke, she opened her eyes and looked around, confused by her surroundings. Then she saw me and relaxed as I smiled down at her. “Welcome back, My Lady,” I said, giddy with relief.

She closed her eyes again for a moment, then smiled back at me, saying in a hoarse whisper, “I’m home, Leo.”

My throat constricted at her response, leaving me unable to voice any of the millions of things I wanted to say to her, so I made do with simply holding her as tightly as I dared.

It was a couple more days before she was allowed to go home, and she spent a great deal of that time asleep. But by the time she was released from the clinic—with strict instructions to stay in bed and rest for another day or two—she was at least able to eat simple foods such as broth and porridge and to walk around, though she moved slowly and still needed a little help from time to time.

Back in our home, I tucked her into bed and stayed close by, waiting on her myself while she continued to recuperate. Not being much of a cook, I made arrangements with Clorica and Porcoline to send in meals for us. In addition, many of the townsfolk stopped by, bringing us meals and looking in to see how she was doing. It seemed that word of her adventure had spread quickly.

* * *

 

The first evening back in our home, after things had settled down a little, Barrett stopped by with his kids. Yuri was distraught to see her beloved princess so badly hurt and bed-ridden, but Avani invited her to climb up onto the bed and cuddle up with her while they visited, which cheered them both. Barrett, too, looked concerned, though he seemed relieved that she’d improved as much as she had since he’d first seen her after her ordeal.

Leonel, though, hung back a little, shy and uncertain. Avani saw him half-hidden behind his dad, though, and called to him. He stepped up to her bedside, although he kept his eyes on the floor. She looked him over, then reached an arm out and pulled him closer for a hug. “You look _much_ better—I’m so glad. How do you feel?” she asked him, looking into his flushed face.

A little tear escaped the corner of his eye, and he mumbled that he was fine in reply. A sob caught in his throat, and then he threw his arms around her neck, unconscious of the pain his embrace caused her. She only reached out and patted his back, though, and gave no other indication of her discomfort as she soothed him.  
  
“I-I’m so sorry,” he said, his voice choked with sobs and muffled as he buried his face in her shoulder. “My mom was all wrong about you. I shouldn’t have listened to her. It’s all my fault that you got hurt so bad. I should have believed Dad—and you.”

“It’s okay, Leonel,” Avani reassured him. “I’ll be fine in a few more days, you’ll see. I’m sure I look worse than I feel right now. Don’t blame yourself—you couldn’t have known. She’s your _mother_ , after all, and it’s only right for you to love and respect her. I’m sure she didn’t _mean_ to cause any harm.” He sat up and sniffled loudly as he nodded. “So are we friends now?” she asked him with a smile.

He smiled back at her through his tears, and nodded. “Friends!” he exclaimed. He bumped fists with her, then stood up and looked at his dad, who smiled and gave a satisfied nod of his head as he reached out to tousle the boy’s hair.

Avani looked over to me, smiling. “I _could_ be mistaken,” she said, “But I _think_ we have the fixings for hot chocolate out in the kitchen. I think there’s even some whipping cream. If you wouldn’t mind, Leo?”

I grinned at her, reaching for Yuri and lifting her up. “I think I can _just_ about handle that.” As I took the kids into the kitchen to make them hot drinks, Barrett grabbed the chair I’d placed near the bed and pulled it over to sit down by her side.

While I heated the milk, measured the sugar, and shaved the block of chocolate, Leonel read to Yuri from a book of legends that I’d left sitting on the bedside table. Meanwhile, Barrett talked with Avani, thanking her for rescuing his son and discussing his recovery. I finished making the hot chocolate and topped it with dollops of freshly whipped cream, serving it to the children along with a few cookies from a plateful we’d been given earlier that day. I left them sitting at the kitchen table with their snacks and began to return to Avani’s side, when a snippet of conversation made me freeze. It was too low for the children to hear, even if they’d been listening, but with my extra keen hearing, I could make out their words as clearly as if I was standing next to them.

“You know,” Barrett was saying, slowly, “what you told Leonel the other day wasn’t _entirely_ true.”

“What?” she replied in surprise. “What did I say? I don’t _remember_ saying anything untrue, and I certainly didn’t intend to….”

“You said that we were fond of each other, but only as friends and nothing more.”

“Yes… but, that _is_ true, isn’t it? I’m fond of _you_ , anyway, and I consider you to be a very good friend.” Her voice sounded puzzled, but I could see where this was headed and I tensed—it was something I’d known for a long time, though I’d never expected him to come right out and admit to it.

“I know… that part was true enough. But… it’s not mutual.”

“It… it isn’t? Barrett, I… I don’t know what to say. I _thought_ we were friends,” she said in a wounded voice, sounding as if she was about to cry.

“ _No_ —that’s not… I mean, you aren’t _only_ a friend to me. You’re so much more. After… after that night with you, I… well, I never told you before, but I fell in love with you. Don’t worry,” he added, interrupting her startled exclamation, “I _know_ it’s not mutual. And that’s okay—I’m not asking or expecting anything from you. You’ve already given me so much as it is. But after… after you risked your life to save Leonel, I… I just couldn’t keep it from you any longer. I _had_ to let you know. I’ve accepted that you don’t reciprocate, that you’re very much in love with Leon, and he with you. And I wish you nothing but happiness with him. It’s clear to me that you are both good for each other, and I’d never try to come between you. Still… I’ve just had enough of deception, I suppose.”

“But, then… how…?”

“Nothing’s changed, Avani. You and I are still friends, and I hope we always will be.” I could hear the chair creaking as he rose, then he continued. “Leonel asked me earlier, what about me—if I’m happier now. I hope to be, someday—as happy as you and Leon are. You set me free from my past, and that has given me hope for my future. Thank you, for all you’ve done—for me, and for my family.”

I heard the sound of a kiss, and I strolled out as nonchalantly as I could muster, just in time to see him kissing the top of her head. Both turned and looked as I walked over, Avani with a radiant smile, and Barrett with a slightly self-conscious flush spreading across his cheeks.

* * *

 

They left soon afterwards, once the kids had finished their cookies and hot chocolate. Avani looked at me as I sat down in the chair next to her, the book of legends in my hands as I prepared to settle down to read while she rested. “I _know_ you heard what Barrett said,” she commented matter-of-factly.

I nodded, smiling a little ruefully at her. “Were you really unaware of his feelings until now, My Lady?”

She blushed and looked away, a pained look in her eyes. “I honestly had no idea. Not even a teensy hint of a clue. I really thought we were just good friends.”

“And so you are, beloved,” I replied, stroking her hair. “Look at you and Dylas. You were lovers for years, and he loves you still. Yet despite that, you two are very good friends. In fact, he’s your _best_ friend, isn’t he? Apart from yours truly, of course,” I added with a grin.

“I… I guess that’s true. I suppose I just need to get used to the idea. If he’s felt this way all along…. I wonder why he felt he needed to tell me that _now_ , of all times? Why wait until I’m married?”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “Would it have changed anything if he’d admitted his love for you before we married?”

“Well, no… of course not.”

“Then what difference does it make when he spoke? Perhaps he waited so that you wouldn’t feel that he was pressuring you into reciprocating. Perhaps it was just as he said—he finally grew tired of the pretense, of not being honest about his feelings. Or perhaps it was just that, having come so close to losing you, he felt that he needed to say something while he could. Because, after all, life _is_ uncertain, and even the mightiest among us are not infallible.”

She looked a little pale. “Was… was it _really_ that bad? I mean, was I really hurt _that_ badly? No one seems to want to tell me. I don’t remember much after….” She shivered, and her eyes grew large and dark as she thought back.

I set my book aside and slipped into bed next to her, holding her in my arms to comfort her. “Shhh, you’re safe, My Lady. You’re recovering quite admirably, and you’ll be back up and leaping into the fray again in no time at all.” She lay back down and cuddled up to me, resting her head on my lap and closing her eyes while I gently stroked her hair. She didn’t sleep, though, so after a minute, I asked with some hesitation, “What _did_ happen, My Lady? How did you come to be hurt so badly? Do you feel like talking about it?”

She lay quietly for a few minutes, then without opening her eyes, she reached for my other hand as she spoke in a low voice. “I’d rushed on ahead of you, as you may recall, and found the grimoire just about to pounce on Leonel, who was already injured and frozen with terror. So I dove in between him and the dragon, too quickly for it to change its course. My interference prevented it from reaching Leonel, at least, but it was enraged at being denied its prey. After you took Leonel and left… it turned on me with a fury like I’ve never seen from one of its kind before. It cast spell after spell at me, so I was kept busy dodging wind blades and tornados and meteor showers. Then, while I was distracted with all that… it blindsided me with its tail. It knocked me flying, and I crashed into one of the stone pillars. I had just enough strength left to cast Prism— luckily, light spells are its greatest weakness—just as it flung itself onto me, ripping and tearing at me with its fangs and claws. The barrier sliced through its defenses and flung it across the terrace, but by then I was too badly hurt—I couldn’t move or even cast escape. I tried, and I just couldn’t formulate the words. The last thing… the last thing I remember was wishing I’d had a chance to say goodbye to you… then the next thing I knew, I was waking up, and you were by my side.”

I squeezed her hand, unable to speak for some time. Before I regained the use of my voice, she fell asleep, curled up snugly against me, her head still on my lap as I continued stroking her hair.

* * *

 

After another three days, Avani had recovered enough to be up and about, and with Jones’ approval, I completed her healing with the use of magic. Barrett’s children were in town for another ten days after that, and they were frequent visitors—both of them—for the remainder of their visit. Avani delighted in teaching them farming skills, playing with them with her pet wolves, taking them for rides on her assorted tame monsters, and even teaching Leonel the rudiments of sword-play. Yuri, of course, was too young for combat training just yet, so instead, Avani took her up to her crafting room one day and spent the afternoon showing her how to make simple jewelry and other accessories.

When they came to say goodbye the day they were to return to their mother’s house, Avani presented Leonel with a handsome short sword and shield that she’d made especially for him, and she gave Yuri several accessories—some that she’d made for the child, and others that she’d helped Yuri to make. The little girl squealed with glee at the little velvet pouch of treasures, and Leonel’s eyes shone as he admired his gifts. Hugs were exchanged—and a few kisses, as well—and promises of future visits were given and accepted. Then Barrett pulled his reluctant children away, smiling as he waved and called out a farewell as they headed towards the airship.

I looked down at my wife and was surprised to see tears in her eyes. “My Lady? Is anything the matter?”

She shook her head and brushed her hand across her eyes, wiping away the traces of tears as she smiled at me. “No… nothing’s _wrong_ exactly. I’m just going to miss them, that’s all. They really livened things up… didn’t they?”

I smiled at her as we turned and walked back into our chamber. “Are you bored already, my love?”

“No, just….” She sighed. “I don’t know, it just feels like _something_ is missing… something that I didn’t even _know_ was missing before, but now I can’t stop feeling that there’s an… an emptiness that wants to be filled.”

I gave her hand a sympathetic squeeze, for I felt the same way.

* * *

 

The next morning, I woke early. Sitting up and stretching, I looked down at my wife. She still slept more than was usual for her—although recovered from her injuries, she still was recuperating from being so completely and utterly drained of energy. However, she was nearly back to her old self, and I was thankful each morning that I awoke to find her still at my side, hale and hearty and as beautiful and incredible as ever.

She stirred as I watched her, and opened her eyes to find me smiling down at her. As I reached out to stroke her cheek tenderly, suddenly everything fell into place—the vague sense of emptiness, that _something_ was missing… I understood it all in a flash of insight that nearly took my breath away.

Still smiling at her, although my heart was pounding from my epiphany, I said as calmly as I could, “Good morning, My Lady. I have some trivia and a little quiz for you. Care to play?”

She sat up and leaned against my shoulder. “Oh? Sure, what is it, Leo?” she replied with a sleepy yawn.

“Let’s begin with the trivia. Did you know that I happen to be very fond of children?”

“I _had_ noticed that,” she grinned, “from the way you played with Barrett’s kids. I’ll never forget you having a tea party with Yuri while I was busy teaching Leonel how to handle a sword, or the rapt attention in Leonel’s face when you regaled him with stories from your own time. And let’s not forget the way you let them climb all over you, tickling you—especially your ears!”

I winced at the memory of that particular romp—it had been so… undignified. “Let’s perhaps forget that last one,” I said with a smile. “Anyway, now for the quiz. It’s only one question. Answer yes or no: Do you want to have children?”

She looked up at me in startled surprise for a moment as she considered my inquiry. Then her face relaxed into a wide grin as she again leaned against me. “Yeah… _yeah_ , I do. _Millions_ of them!”

I cleared my throat. “Hmm, I don’t know about _millions_ ….” I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer to me as I looked down into here eyes. “Well, My Lady, how about it, then? Will you do me the honor of bearing my children?”

“I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have a family with,” she said with a giggle. “Do you think they’ll inherit your foxy ears and tail? That would be just too adorable!”

“You can laugh, but I’m completely serious,” I replied, stroking her cheek. “I want you to be the mother of my children.” With that, I began to kiss her. “So just in case you’ve forgotten, let me remind you how it works,” I whispered into her ear, drawing her back down in my arms.


	55. Chapter 55

“What do you _mean_ , you’ve never used birth control?” I exclaimed, stunned. We’d decided only yesterday that we wanted to start a family, but it appeared we’d already hit our first snag. “You mean to say, that in the year or so we’ve been together, as well as the year and a half that you were with Dylas before me… you never _once_ used _any_ form of contraceptive?”

“No, never. I’m sorry, I guess I just never thought of such a thing even existing. I guess that’s something else that I must have forgotten about, thanks to my amnesia.”

I scowled at her. “You fall back on that excuse far too often, Avani. It’s one thing to say you can’t remember details of your childhood or something—that’s normal for amnesia. But it’s another thing altogether to blame it for your tendency to not think things through!” I spoke far more harshly than was my intent in my agitation at the implications of her revelation.

With a hurt look, she turned away. “I _said_ I was sorry. What more do you want from me? Okay, so maybe it wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but I don’t understand why you’re being so… so _mean_ about it!” Then she stormed out of the house, leaving me slack-jawed in surprise.

I thought about what I’d said to warrant such an accusation, and as I mentally replayed my part of the conversation, I realized that I had perhaps been less than sympathetic. _Especially_ the comment about her amnesia—I cringed as my words echoed accusingly in my head. I followed after her, but by then she’d vanished from sight. No doubt she’d gone off to work off her vexation out in the wilds somewhere. I sighed and rubbed my forehead, then glanced up at the sky, noting dark clouds gathering on the horizon. They were still a long ways away, though, so I wasn’t too concerned. I trudged up the steps from the garden and headed down the street to Porcoline’s.

Dylas was on duty when I walked in, and he looked up in surprise. “Where’s Avani?” he asked curiously, peering to see if she was straggling along behind me.

I shrugged and asked for a cup of coffee, and he gave me a sharp look as he poured it and passed it to me. “What’s going on? You two are virtually inseparable. So where is she?”

“We… had a disagreement. Hey… did you know she _never_ used birth control? Not once in all the time she was with either of us. Did… did she ever have a pregnancy scare or anything, that you know of?” I asked, sipping the steaming beverage.

He raised an eyebrow as he leaned against the counter. “Really? No, I didn’t know that. And as far as I know, nothing like that ever came up. She never mentioned anything to me, anyway. Why? Don’t tell me you were arguing about _that_ , of all things?”

I frowned into my cup, pausing before responding. “Don’t you see? She spent over two years sexually active with one or both of us, never using _any_ contraceptives, and she hasn’t once had even a _hint_ of getting pregnant. We decided that we want to start a family, but apparently we’ve already been doing everything possible to have children… with no results. So what if… what if we just _can’t_? We former Guardians, I mean. What if being bound with a monster like that for so long somehow rendered us infertile? I mean, it obviously had _some_ lasting physical effects. Maybe there are others that are less obvious.”

Dylas looked surprised as he thought about it, then he just shrugged. “Well, I suppose that would be unfortunate if you really wanted kids that badly. But I still don’t see what the big deal is. I mean, what’ve you got to gripe about, really? You got the girl—so what if you can’t have kids with her, too? Isn’t just having her enough? Don’t be so… so _greedy_. _I’d_ take a lifetime with Avani—with _or_ without kids—any day. But she picked _you_ , not me. So where is she, anyway?”

I sighed and drained my cup, grimacing slightly at the bitter aftertaste. “I don’t know. She just… took off. She’s probably out venting somewhere.”

Dylas scowled at me, his hazel eyes flashing, and slammed his hand down on the counter. He reached across to grab me by my vest and hauled me closer. “You mean to say,” he growled, “you just… let her go? Angry and upset, out into the wilds, all by herself? What the _hell_ is wrong with you? She’s barely just recovered from her last escapade— _barely_ —and you _just let her go_?” He flung me backwards to the floor, then stomped around from behind the counter to stand over me, glowering. “Now you listen to me. I love her, too, you dipshit, and don’t you ever forget it. But she chose _you_ —and I warned you at the time, didn’t I? I said then that you’d _better_ make her happy. Well, she doesn’t sound like she’s very fucking happy to me. Now get up off that floor and get your sorry ass out there and _find_ _her_. And I swear, if anything happens to her….”

I stood and glared at him. “Back off, Dylas. She’s _my_ wife. I don’t need you to tell me how to take care of her!” I turned and started to leave, but he grabbed my arm.

“No. You know what? You’re being a dick. So I’m coming with you—to make sure that you don’t screw up more than you already have. Not because I care about saving your marriage—I don’t. Nothing would make me happier than for her to leave you, because maybe _then_ I’d get her back. I’m only going because, as much as I hate it to admit it, I know she’d be miserable without you.”

Still gripping my arm, he pulled me back home and down the stairs to the storeroom where we all kept our weapons and armor. Throwing my equipment at me, he grabbed his own and we went back upstairs. As we strapped on our armor and buckled our boots, I glared at him, still fuming from our confrontation. “There is no need at all for you to come with me. I can handle this myself. I don’t want _or_ need your help.”

“Tough shit, because you’re getting it anyway. I’m not doing this for _you_ , so just stuff it.” He glared back angrily as he pulled on his newest fighting gloves.

I grabbed my shield and lance, and I considered for a brief moment smacking him with it. I was already well aware that I’d screwed up, and I sure didn’t need him reminding me of it at every turn. Besides, it was none of his business—this was between me and Avani. I was the one that needed to put things to rights, and I didn’t need him interfering.

But there was no dissuading him. He was bound and determined to see for himself that she was okay, and until then, he was sticking as close to me as my own shadow. I gave up and stalked towards the airship, Dylas close on my heels.

Once on board the airship, I stopped for a minute to think where she might have gone. Given that it was winter and she disliked the cold, I thought the Selphia Plains or Sercerezo Hill were likely options. Then I recalled a discussion about fishing from a few days ago, in which she had commented to Barrett that she had yet to hook a rockfish. She’d told him that she had caught at least one of every fish to be found anywhere in the region except that one species, and she was eager to complete her collection, so to speak.

Therefore, I thought the sand pond that was home to the sand flounders and rockfish seemed like a likely place to search for her, so I told the pilot to set course for Sercerezo Hill. He looked up at the sky nervously, saying, “Aye, but we’ll hafta be quick. Storm’s a-comin’. You be okay if I drop you out there? I can’t wait around for ye ta finish, so ye be on yer own once ye disembark.”

I looked up at the clouds—they’d moved in much faster than I’d predicted. Still, if my hunch proved correct, we should be able to find her and get back to town using Escape before the brunt of the storm hit.

“Well, let’s get a move on already. What are you waiting for, Christmas?” Dylas snapped irritably as he eyed the towering black clouds heading our way.

The airship dropped us off just past the bridge to Sercerezo Hill, hovering momentarily while we jumped off the gangplank to the ground below before it turned and sailed full-bore back towards Selphia. A nearby herd of ill-tempered schmoolies immediately charged at us, no doubt disturbed by our bickering, which resumed as soon as we landed. We quickly dispatched them and headed towards the sand pond on the far side of the bridge southeast of the hill. There were more than the usual number of monsters out, I noticed—perhaps galvanized into unusual activity by the approaching storm.

“I don’t get it,” Dylas groused as we fought our way through the dense growths of flowering vines and through flocks of schmoolies and bunches of monstrous blossoms. “Why would she take off like this, with a storm approaching, just because you two had a little spat over something that ridiculous? Or is there something you’re leaving out?”

I paused to skewer a flower blossom monster as it slithered our way, reaching out with its thorny vines to ensnare either or both of us. Huffing in irritation, I brushed the hair out of my face and glared at him. “Fine. Yes, there was more to it than just that. I… I accused her of using her amnesia as an excuse for not thinking things through.”

Dylas stopped stock still, stiffening as he stared at me, his face growing blacker than the clouds gathering overhead. “You… _what_?” he growled. “No. No, you did _not_ do that. _Tell_ me you didn’t.”

“I’m not _proud_ of it—I didn’t even mean it. I was just… caught off guard, I guess.”

“You dragon-damned fucking piece of _shit_! I can’t _believe_ you said that to her!” he bellowed, diving for me and grabbing me by my vest collar. “How can you even call yourself her husband after that?! Damn it all, no _wonder_ she ran away from you! After we find her and get her safely back to town, I am going to kick your ass clear into the middle of next week, _Fido_!” He shoved me to the ground, glaring down at me, his face contorted with barely-concealed rage.

I narrowed my eyes and bared my fangs—I’d had just about enough of his attitude. Yes, he was right—I should never have said what I said. _Avani_ could call me every name in the book when I found her and I’d take it as my just deserts, but I wasn’t about to take that kind of abuse from _him_. Friend or not, I was sick and tired of him constantly interfering in our marriage. And it was high time I told him so.

I sprang up to my feet, tossing my spear and shield aside. “You want a fight? Is that what you want? Well, come and get it, _Blaze_ , if you’re not afraid of mussing up your pretty mane, that is!”

Dylas flushed red, his eyes snapping with rage. “Fine, you got it. No weapons, no spells. Just you and me, Fido,” he snarled, throwing his fighting gloves aside.

Gritting my teeth, I responded, “You got it. May the best man win.”

“Oh, I _will_ ,” he snapped, then he lunged at me.

Dylas had the advantage in height, weight, and sheer muscle mass. However, I had superior flexibility, speed, and endurance—not to mention intelligence. I knew my best bet for winning a fight against Dylas would be to keep him moving, staying just out of reach while provoking him into attacking repeatedly, thus tiring him out before moving in. So with this in mind, I darted around him, easily dodging his blows at the last second, taunting him with equine insults that drove him into a frenzy.

As we circled, almost closing in on each other, then separating only to close in again, neither of us paid much attention to the rain beginning to fall. A few heavy drops at first, then a steady rain, then a downpour. Before we knew what hit us, we were caught in a torrential rainstorm. Yet still we fought on, the rain-slicked grass only serving to increase the challenge.

But in the back of my mind, I began to worry—I desperately wanted to check to see if Avani was there at the sand pond, still fishing, and if not, to find her. She didn’t mind rainstorms—she found them rather exhilarating, as long as they weren’t too cold. Cold was the only thing that seemed to bother her very much, and even then usually only after being out in it for a while. I began to regret initiating this pointless brawl, but Dylas was infuriated beyond reason by this point, and I highly doubted he’d stop for man or beast. So I started to maneuver him eastwards towards the bridge, hoping to reach the sand pond quickly to relieve my mind.

However, something most unexpected caused an unavoidable delay.

As we reached the bridge, Dylas was still lunging at me, still trying to land a blow, though he was obviously beginning to wear down. I had just leaped back to avoid another kick, when a deep, booming voice thundered behind me, bellowing, “Who dares to defile the bridge of Typhoon the Storm-Daemon? None may enter his demesne!”

I spun around and beheld the largest daemon-class monster I’d ever laid eyes on, wielding a massive trident in his hand, which was as dark as the storm clouds overhead. Dylas likewise stopped, panting for breath as he stared wide-eyed at the monster. I stood up straight before him, acutely aware that our weapons were lying on the grass some distance west of us. “I entreat you to let me pass, storm-daemon. I come in search of my wife, who may have wandered unintentionally into your realm before the storm arose. I mean you and your lands no harm.”

He pounded his trident onto the bridge, causing the whole structure to shudder. Glowering at me with eyes burning like coals in his dark grey skull, he said, “Then she is _mine_ now. All that set foot in my demesne belong to me, and to me alone. If you seek to reclaim her, then you _do_ mean me harm—as I do you!”

He swiftly raised his trident and cast a whirlwind of sonic blades that spun towards us, sending further blades spiraling outwards as it careened across the bridge. I jumped back, landing next to Dylas. Barely sparing a glance in his direction, I called out, “Truce?”

“Truce!” he shouted in reply, ducking below a sonic blade.

The storm-daemon had an array of powerful spells that made even our strongest magic seem like child’s play in comparison. Though we cast spell after spell at him, he seemed entirely unaffected. Meanwhile, already partially drained from our foolish altercation, we quickly used up nearly all of our remaining energy. I kept enough energy in reserve for one healing spell, and escape used almost none. But I was loathe to cast escape, simply because I could not and would not abandon Avani to this… this monstrosity.

Monstrosity, indeed—Typhoon appeared unscathed despite the barrage of our strongest spells, while we were both battered and exhausted. I was beginning to wonder if a strategic retreat to replenish our energy and arm ourselves might be necessary after all—there was no question of my needing Dylas’s aid in this battle—when he cast a new spell, one I had never seen before nor have I seen since.

Summoning three spheres of dark energy, he instantly chanted a second spell over the hovering globes. They transformed into bolts of pure dark energy that shot out faster than a swallow in flight. Dylas and I both dove out of the paths of the projectiles, but they were too fast. One of them skimmed over my right arm, and another caught Dylas in his side—fortunately his armor and leather clothing offered some protection, or he would have been gravely injured indeed. Dark energy didn’t merely damage—it devoured, like acid or flame. Whatever it touched, it consumed. While it could have been worse, nevertheless it was bad enough. I had a cleft running the length of my arm, shoulder to wrist, rendering it essentially useless, and Dylas had a void in his armor and jacket that displayed a deep puncture into his ribs.

Things were not looking good for us.

Typhoon chuckled, sensing that the end of the battle was drawing near. He closed the gap between us with a single gigantic step, gloating as he looked down at us. I tried to cast Escape, but nothing happened—after that last blow, I was too drained for even that simplest of spells. I could see Dylas struggling next to me, apparently trying the same thing with similar results as he almost immediately fell back onto the planks of the bridge. “And so end all who challenge Typhoon the Storm-Daemon!” the monster boomed, raising his weapon triumphantly over his head for the finishing stroke.

Then a blur of green and gold flew from out of the woods on the far side of the bridge, crashing into the daemon, all but knocking him to the ground. And there, to my astonishment, stood Avani.

If the daemon Typhoon looked like the embodiment of the storm clouds over head—dark and glowering and merciless, in that moment, Avani was the embodiment of the wind—swift, sure, and mighty was she as she stood tall in her fury, the winds whipping her green hair into a verdant halo.

The daemon spun around to face her, hesitating in amazement as he beheld the figure before him. “So. You, then, are my most recent acquisition. Bow down before your new lord, hellcat!” he growled as a lascivious grin spread across his face.

Grabbing her dual swords from her rucksack and tossing the bag aside, she stared coldly into the massive monster’s face. “I bow to no one save my King, you asshelmeted troglodyte.”

“My, such words from one so small and… frail. It’s time you learned your place, slave!” He whirled his trident easily over his head, then pointed it straight at her chest.

“Avani, look out!” I called, struggling unsuccessfully to rise. She flew up into a back flip and landed several yards back, just out of reach of his thrust.

Before he could attack again, she quickly cast a healing spell, shouting, “Where are your weapons? Go and get them!”

As Dylas and I stumbled back to pick up our discarded equipment, she whirled around, her blades held out to her sides, slashing into the daemon’s thick hide. Although he had to have sustained some damage, his only response was a deep, menacing chuckle. As we raced back, he growled, “Ahh, yes… you’re a lively one, I see. I like that, yes. Please me well, slave, and perhaps I’ll promote you to concubine,” he said, licking his lips obscenely.

Avani grimaced in revulsion. “I’d sooner die a thousand deaths in the fires of the lava ruins than spend even one instant in the company of the likes of you!” she spat, crouching down to launch another attack. Hissing, the daemon prepared another dark arrow spell. Before I could warn her or reach him to attack, he sent the bolts flying directly at her.

She sprang from her crouch, leaping high into the air and over the speeding darts. Holding her blades close together, tips just touching, she dove at the monster from above, shouting, “And I! Am! No! Man’s!Slave!” as she crashed down, driving the paired swords like a wedge deep into the monster’s skull.

The daemon Typhoon bellowed in rage and disbelief, grabbing her and flinging her down onto the bridge like a rag doll. He raised his trident high over head, preparing to skewer her, but the swords had continued to inflict their magical damage on him even as he stood. In a blinding flash of light, they clove him in two, and with an enraged howl, the monster vanished, leaving the three of us alone in the storm as her blades clattered to the bridge before her.

Dylas and I ran to Avani, and I knelt next to her. “My Lady!” I exclaimed, checking her for injuries. Dylas stood behind me, although he hovered over us in his concern.

After a moment, she opened her eyes and smiled up at me, then reached a hand up to my cheek. “Leo…” she said wearily, “…I think we should avoid this neck of the woods on stormy days in the future.”

I choked a little, and heard Dylas snort in exasperation behind me. I gathered her up in my arms, nuzzling my cheek against hers. “I concur, My Lady. Why tempt fate?”


	56. Chapter 56

Upon our return from our fight with the storm-daemon, we stopped for dry clothing and hurried to the inn to warm up in the scalding waters of the baths. Afterwards, we quickly returned to the castle, borrowing a few of Lin’s oversized umbrellas to ensure we stayed dry as we ran through the snowstorm. Avani promptly headed into the kitchen to fix us all something hot to eat and drink, while Dylas sat in one of the easy chairs and I lit the fire the butlers had laid earlier in the day. Soon the three of us were sitting before a roaring fire as we ate and drank, ravenous after the day’s efforts.

After sating the fiercest of her hunger pangs, Avani sat back and looked first at me as I sat next to her on the sofa, and then over at Dylas in his chair. “So tell me, what were the two of you doing out there in the wilds of Sercerezo Hill without your weapons?”

Dylas and I looked at each other sheepishly. “Ahh, well, My Lady, we….” I started.

“We… we were sparring. You know, just a little friendly combat practice. Nothing at all serious,” Dylas hastily interrupted.

“ _Sparring_? On Sercerezo Hill? Without even practice weapons? _In a thunderstorm_??” she replied incredulously. “Why _there_? Why not the courtyard, or even just the plains near town? And _why_ in the names of the Native Dragons would you spar in the middle of a raging storm?”

Dylas frowned, annoyed that she’d seen through his ruse so quickly. “Well, what about _you_? What the hell were you _thinking_ , fishing in a storm like that?” he huffed in aggravation.

Avani looked at him reproachfully. “And you call yourself a fisherman? Everyone knows the fish bite better in the rain!”

“You were _sand_ fishing,” he pointed out drily.

“Oh, and how much experience do _you_ have sand fishing? Right, about as much as I do. I thought, if it worked with normal fish in the water, maybe it would work for sand fish, too. I figured it was worth a shot—I knew I could get back to town quickly if the weather got too bad. In fact, I was just packing up when I heard loud noises coming from the bridge, even over the noise of the storm. Imagine my surprise when I looked through the trees and found my husband and my best friend getting their asses handed to them by a gigantic monster! _Seriously_ , you two? No weapons? Nothing? Come _on_ , I _know_ you’re smarter than _that_!” She folded her arms over her chest and glared at her former lover, who glared right back at her.

I sighed. “Okay, this is beginning to get childish. And none of us are being altogether honest, are we?” I reached over to Avani and turned her face towards mine, looking into her eyes. “I apologize, My Lady, for the things I said earlier. I swear I didn’t mean them, nor to hurt you. I was just taken by surprise, though I know that’s no excuse for my poor reaction. I don’t blame you at all for running off as you did, though the timing perhaps left something to be desired. Will you forgive me, my love?”

She snuggled up to me, giving me a kiss and smiling, her good humor once again restored. “Of course I do, Leo. I know you didn’t mean what you said. I just needed some time to cool off—I didn’t want to get into a fight with you, certainly not over something so… so trivial. I’d long since gotten over it by the time I decided I was done fishing. Though I do wish I’d been able to catch a rockfish!”

Dylas cleared his throat, and we looked over at him. His face was pink with embarrassment, and he looked away as he spoke. “I, uh… I’m sorry, too, Leon, for losing my temper. It’s just….”

“It’s okay, Dylas. I lost mine, too, you know.” I turned to look at Avani, and explained. “You see, after you took off, I went to talk to Dylas. When I found out about you never using birth control, I… well, I panicked. It occurred to me that maybe we former Guardians just _can’t_ have children—that maybe being fused into our Guardian forms altered us in more ways than we had realized. And… and that was, well, upsetting, to put it mildly. So I wanted to see if he knew anything—if maybe there’d been something that came up in your time together that maybe you’d just forgotten about—but he didn’t have any more information than you did.

“Then he started asking where you were, and when I said we’d argued and you’d run off, he lost his temper—and then I lost mine. We both went in search of you, and we headed towards the sand pond since I remembered you mentioning to Barrett recently that you wanted to catch a rockfish. Except we didn’t go _straight_ there, because we argued the whole way. By the time we were nearing the bridge to the sand pond, we were angry enough to start actually fighting— _physically_ fighting, that is. We chose to settle our differences without weapons or magic—I don’t think either of us would ever get _that_ mad at the other. So we left our things under a tree near the clearing where we started and had at it. Our fight carried over to the bridge, and that’s when we stumbled across that storm-daemon. By then, we were already tiring, and we’d left our weapons some ways back. I shudder to imagine what would have happened if you hadn’t somehow heard us through the noise of the storm.”

She looked at me, then at Dylas, an appalled look in her eyes. “You… you seriously mean that you two were _fighting_? Not sparring, but for _real_? And all because you and I had a stupid little spat?” She just shook her head slowly in disbelief, looking back and forth between the two of us, at a loss for words. She heaved a great sigh, then looked over at Dylas. “Okay. First of all, Dylas, it’s really sweet that you still worry about me like that. But when are you going to learn that I can handle myself? You don’t _need_ to worry about me—you _shouldn’t_ worry about me, not to _that_ extent anyway. And you certainly don’t need to protect me from my own husband. You’re going to have to start backing off a little and let us work out things in our own time, in our own ways. I know you just want me to be happy, and I’m thankful to have such a wonderful, caring friend as you. But it’s not realistic to expect me to be completely happy all the time. I don’t think I’d even _want_ to be, strange as that might sound. It would be like… like having cake for every meal, every day, for the rest of my life.”

Dylas grimaced, looking revolted at the mere idea, and she continued with a wry smile. “Cake is nice to have now and then, maybe even once a day. Or at least _most_ of us would think so—I know _you_ don’t. But very few people would really want to nothing but cake, and if they did have it all the time, they would soon sicken from such a diet. I need variety in my… I guess you could call it my emotional diet, same as with my regular diet. So please don’t try to push me into living my life the way _you_ think I should live it. Let me make my own decisions and my own mistakes. You know I do the same for you, even though I want you to be happy just as much. And just like I’m here for you anytime you need me, I hope that you’ll be there for me, too, should I find I’ve gotten myself in over my head and need help. But I still need the freedom to make mistakes and to learn from them and grow. Okay?”

He looked away and nodded unhappily, then said, “Yeah. Okay. Sorry, Avani. It’s just that I… I can’t bear to see you hurt or unhappy. But I’ll… I’ll try to give you space to let you do things your way. I know it’s not my place to tell you how to live your life, anyway.” Then he looked back at her, his face schooled into a blank expression—all except for his eyes, which were profound with unspoken emotions. “And you _know_ I’ll always be here for you, should you ever need me.”

He rose then, quickly, and saying goodnight, he left to return to his solitary room, grabbing one of the borrowed umbrellas for shelter against the still-heavy snowfall. He ran through the back garden towards Airship Way, his black clothing a startling contrast against the blanketing whiteness of the whirling snow as he bolted up the steps to the street above and disappeared from our sight.

* * *

 

Closing and locking the door against the icy winds, we returned to our seats on the sofa. Leaning her head against my shoulder as we watched the flickering flames, she said softly, “As for _you_ , Sir Mr. Leo, I honestly am sorry if I upset you. But I _was_ telling the truth—I really never _once_ thought about birth control. I don’t know why. I mean, it seems like something I should have learned about at some point, so… but there’s nothing there. At least, nothing from before this morning. Neither Jones nor Nancy ever brought it up during any of my exams, which seems a little strange in retrospect—I guess they must have assumed I had it under control and that if I needed something, I’d ask. I don’t even know what one does… how you… what _kinds_ of birth control there are.” She looked up at me helplessly, and if I’d ever truly doubted her veracity on that point, the stark bewilderment in her eyes would have quickly laid that to rest.

I put my arm around her and said, “Well, love, it doesn’t matter now, anyway, does it? And I’m hardly an authority on such things, especially in this era. You’d be better off asking Nancy or Jones if you really want to know about it. All that aside, though, I’m sorry for what I said. I never really doubted your honesty.”

She sighed and again placed her head on my shoulder. “You know… it really doesn’t matter to me _that_ much. I mean, I’m very sorry it’s so upsetting to you, and sure, it’d be amazing to have a houseful of kids running around underfoot. But the important thing, to me anyway, is that we have each other. The rest is just the icing on the cake.”

I thought about what she said for a few minutes. I remembered the blind terror I’d felt upon finding her more dead than alive in the grimoire’s lair, the panic I’d felt watching her battle Typhoon while helpless to assist her, and of course everything else we’d been through together in the past year: Dylas’s infidelity, the terrible battle with Ethelberd, her heart-wrenching depression after Venti’s passage, my soul-searching as we unearthed Maria’s letter to me piece by piece, and of course our wedding and honeymoon. And I thought to myself… Dylas was right. I _would_ take a lifetime with her—with _or_ without children— _any_ day.

And leaning down to whisper into her ear, I told her so.


	57. Chapter 57

One morning a week or so after the battle against the storm-daemon Typhoon, I rose very early, and leaving Avani asleep in bed, I slipped into my clothes and out the back door. Dashing through the chilly morning air, I hurried over to see Lin. I wanted something from her, and quickly—before my wife awoke and found I was missing, anyway. So hurrying into the inn and through the lobby, I knocked on her bedroom door. She answered a minute later, yawning as she shrugged into her robe. “Leon? What’s going on? Why are you here so early? Is something wrong?” she asked in rapid fire, confused by my arrival in her private room.

“No, nothing’s wrong, Lin. But I want something as quickly as possible, and I’m very much hoping you can give me what I need. Can I come in?”

* * *

 

A few minutes later, I was hurrying back through the garden, a small parcel in my hand, and slipping back into the house as quickly and quietly as I could. Fortunately, she didn’t appear to have so much as stirred. I went into the kitchen and started a pot of coffee brewing while I arranged my purchase on a pretty plate. Placing the plate, a fork, a bowl of strawberries picked just the day before from the spring field on Sercerezo Hill, a small dish of sweetened whipped cream, and two cups of coffee on a tray, I carefully crept back out to the main chamber.

Placing the tray on the bedside table, I slipped under the covers alongside my wife. Kissing her gently on her cheek, I whispered, “Good morning, My Lady. It’s another beautiful day in Selphia.” She opened her eyes somewhat reluctantly—I’m afraid I’d kept her up rather later than usual last night, plus she apparently still hadn’t recovered all of her energy from her two most recent battles, against the grimoire and the storm-daemon. She yawned and snuggled up against me, closing her eyes tightly again, but I could see a mischievous curve at the corner of her mouth and knew she was only kidding around.

Smiling at her dissemblance, I murmured, “I have a little something for you, but you have to be awake to receive it.” That got her attention, and her eyes flew open, bright with anticipation. I sat up, and she pulled herself up alongside me, peering around me to see what I’d brought for her. As I placed the tray on her lap, she looked it over, seemingly delighted yet puzzled by my odd selection.

“Thank you! It looks delicious. Though… why cake for breakfast?” she asked as she took a sip of the hot coffee, blowing on it to cool it first, and examined the large slab before her.

“Well, as I was starting to drift off last night…”

“More like this morning,” she interrupted with a wide grin, her eyes twinkling merrily.

“…this morning,” I conceded with a smile, “I suddenly remembered something from our conversation a few nights ago, the evening of our fight with Typhoon. I recalled that it had struck me as remarkable that you kept using cake analogies and idioms, and I wondered at the time if you were wanting something sweet. But then one thing led to another, and I’m afraid the cake was forgotten—until early this morning, anyway.”

She looked both surprised and touched. “I don’t think I _consciously_ meant anything at the time, but now that I have it here in front of me, I can see it’s the very thing I’ve been wanting. Thank you, love. You’re always so thoughtful.” She selected an especially large, plump berry, and without warning, popped it into my mouth. I smiled at her as I ate it, then I returned the favor, first dipping hers into the cream. And so we went on—feeding each other berries and bites of the cake and sipping our coffee, until the unusual meal was over.

I took the dishes back out to the kitchen to wash, so that she could rest a little longer. I was halfway through with the washing up, when suddenly I heard a thud from the main chamber. Rushing out, drying my hands on my pant legs as I ran, I found her half-fallen to the floor. She looked up at me, her face wan, and groaned, “Leo… I don’t feel so good…” Then her eyes grew large, and she stumbled to her feet and out the door, with me close on her heels.

She ran to the fence and bent over, retching into the bushes. I grabbed her hair and pulled it out of the way, frowning in concern as she lost her breakfast over the course of the next quarter hour. Finally, she seemed to be done, and shaking from the strain and the cold, she allowed me to lead her back into the castle.

Sitting her down on the edge of the bed, I fetched a basin of water, a cloth, and a towel from the kitchen. I set them on the bedside table, and as I gently washed her face, noting to myself how clammy her skin was, I asked, “What is it, My Lady? Was the cream bad? Or was something wrong with the cake? Or are you perhaps coming down with something?”

She groaned a little, clamping her hand down on her belly as if she again felt ill, then relaxed again a moment later as it passed. “I… I don’t know, Leo,” she croaked, her throat raw. “I just suddenly felt so sick and dizzy—that’s why I fell trying to get out of bed. And then… well, you know. Thanks for helping me. Maybe I should put my hair up, in case it comes back, you know.”

“Maybe,” I said, scowling, “although I think an even better idea would be for you to go to the clinic. They won’t be open for a while, but I’m sure Jones will see you anyway. I’m concerned for your health—you’ve been so run down lately, you know. I think we should head over as soon as you feel able to dress.”

It was certainly more a testament to how miserable she felt than to any powers of persuasion I might have imagined I possessed that she agreed without protest. So as soon as she’d had a little time to recover, she twisted her hair up into a knot at the back of her head, then pulled on a skirt and sweater, her warm boots, and her jacket, and we headed out the front door to walk the couple of blocks to the clinic.

While she dressed, I’d stepped out to arrange for Clorica and Vishnal tend to her farm chores for her that morning, so that she needn’t try to do them while feeling so miserable. He said to leave everything to him and to tell her to rest and get better soon, and I hurried back to our rooms, worried lest she take ill while again while I was away.

At that early hour, very few people were up and about. The only people we bumped into on our way were Forte, going through her morning warm-up routine out in the courtyard as usual; Dolce and Pico out on their early morning walk, and Dylas, who was fishing in a channel nearby. Forte merely waved a greeting to us, too focused to notice that anything was amiss. Dolce exclaimed over her pale appearance and expressed a hope that she feel better soon, seconded by Pico, and commented that Jones and Nancy would surely fix her up. Dylas watched as we started to walk past, then set his rod down and hurried over. “Hey, are you okay?” he asked, scowling in concern at her peaked look. “You don’t look so good.” He turned to me, asking, “You taking her to see Jones? Good. Let me know what he says, will you?” Then with an awkward but gentle pat on her back, he said, “Take it easy, alright? Get better soon.” Then he slowly walked back to his fishing tackle, looking back over his shoulder as we continued on our way.

Nancy was just coming down the stairs, humming a cheerful tune, apparently going to water the flower boxes in the windows, as she carried a watering can in her hand. She started to smile in greeting, but just then Avani turned white again and clamped her hands over her mouth, panic rising in her eyes. Moving quickly, Nancy grabbed a basin and brought it to her just in time. As I held it for her, Nancy flew to the stairs, shouting up to her husband. “Jones! Come quick! Avani’s sick!”

A moment later, I heard footsteps running down the stairs, and then the doctor was there, watching with concern as my wife continued heaving, though she had nothing left in her by then. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then walked over to a cabinet. He retrieved a small ceramic jar, and reaching in, pulled out a pinch of something. Returning the jar to its place, he walked over and popped the substance into her mouth. I caught a pungent whiff of ginger—spicy, slightly hot, a little earthy, yet also sweet, so probably candied to preserve it. She grimaced at the strong flavor, but almost instantly the color returned to her cheeks and the tremors that shook her began to subside. After a few minutes, she passed the basin to Nancy with an embarrassed apology. “Don’t worry about it, dear,” the nurse said cheerily. “We’re quite used to it here!” She left for a minute, then returned with a clean basin, just in case.

Jones led Avani back to an exam room, and after asking me to wait in the front room, Nancy followed. I sat anxiously waiting, time hanging heavy on my hands as I strained my ears for any clue as to what was wrong. I wondered yet again if it might have been the cream—I had thought it was fresh, but as I hated milk, I hadn’t tasted it or, to be completely honest, even sniffed it. I’d just assumed… but if something had been wrong, wouldn’t she have noticed the flavor? Or would the berries and cake and coffee have masked it too well?

* * *

 

I sat, fretting and longing to do something— _anything_ —to help, for perhaps as much as half an hour. Then Nancy stepped out with her usual cheery smile and asked me to come on back. I jumped up and followed her, immediately going to stand by Avani. She was seated in a chair, looking tired and surprisingly frail. Looking at Jones, I exclaimed, “What is it, doc? What’s wrong with her? Was it something she ate? Or has she come down with something? She’s been so tired lately, ever since that battle with the grimoire. Would that have made her more susceptible to illness?”

Avani looked up at the doctor, asking faintly, “Is it anything very serious, doctor?”

Jones smiled at us, then at Nancy, who beamed back at him. “Well, yes, I suppose you _could_ say it was serious. Congratulations, you two—you’re going to be have a baby!”

Avani’s mouth dropped open, and she looked up at me, speechless. I looked at her, then at Jones again, exclaiming, “What? Are… are you _sure_?”

Nancy gave Avani a big hug, then she nudged me playfully in the ribs with her elbow. “Yep, it’s true! Congratulations, you old dog—I _knew_ you had it in you! Oh, I can’t _wait_ to see your baby!” She clapped her hands together ecstatically, looking joyfully back and forth between us.

Then they left us alone for a few minutes, giving us time to let it sink in. I sat down in the chair next to hers and took her hands in mine. “My Lady….”

She looked at me, uncertainly. “Leo?”

I smiled and shook my head slightly. “I… it’s just that for once in my life, I’m at a complete loss for words. I’m utterly delighted—just think of it, _our_ child.” I grinned at her, and wrapped my arms around her, squeezing her tightly for just a moment. Looking into her eyes, I asked, “And you, My Lady? How do _you_ feel about it? Are you… are _you_ glad, too?”

She searched my eyes for a moment, then rested her head on my shoulder. “Me?” she said, sighing softly. “There ought to be a law against being so perfectly happy—but I’m _awfully_ glad there isn’t.”

I held her gently as she leaned against me, then looking down, I saw her staring at nothing, a sweet, pensive look in her eyes, and I marveled anew at how much joyful life could be.

Stroking her cheek softly, I said, “Tell me, My Lady, do you think we’ll have a son? Or a daughter? I seem to recall that some women could somehow tell, sometimes even right from the beginning. Not all, of course, but still… do you have any ideas?”

She looked surprised as she considered, then shook her head. “I’m sorry, Leo, but no—I’ve no idea whether this will be a boy or a girl. Does it matter very much to you which?”

“Not at all,” I reassured her. “I hope that we’ll end up with plenty of both. But even if we have all girls or all boys, I’ll be fine with that, too. They’ll _all_ be precious to me—no matter which—because they’re _our_ children. Yours and mine.”

She nodded, then grinned. “I guess this puts to rest your fears that being a Guardian ruined your chances of having children.”

I laughed and ruffled her hair as she protested, laughing herself all the while. “Yes, it does rather ease my mind on the account. Though I’m still at a loss as to why in all those years…. Ah, well, it doesn’t matter—not really, anyway. I’m just pleased that I picked such an delightful mother for my children.”

“And I’m glad I picked them such a wonderful daddy,” she said as she again nestled up to me.

Just then, Jones and Nancy returned, still all smiles. Jones had some advice for us, particularly for Avani. There was still plenty of time, he said, until the baby was due. His estimate was for early fall, though he warned us that babies were born when they were good and ready, regardless of what anyone else might think. He also cautioned Avani that, in the meantime, she needed to pay particular attention to her health. “Take extra care not to overdo it, young lady,” he said to her in his most serious tone of voice, though there was a sparkle in his eye as he said it. “You need to be sure you eat healthfully, get plenty of rest—while you still can!—and just generally be aware of how you’re feeling. Physical activity is fine, but if you feel what you’re doing is at all a strain, stop immediately. Your baby is well protected in there, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

“Speaking of playing it safe… you need to avoid alcohol, large amounts of coffee or tea, medications I haven’t approved, and very hot baths. If you ask, I’m sure Lin will adjust the bath temperature for you, especially if you go during off-peak hours, and then don’t soak for as long as you normally would. Oh, and pay attention to your energy levels, especially if you do anything taxing, like spellcasting, or forging, or farming. Avoid combat, certainly anything more than a simple practice workout, as I’m concerned about the potential for blows to your abdomen. And as for you, Leon, _your_ job will be to support her as best you can. Help her out so that she can rest, especially with heavier work, like the farm chores, and protect her from harm. You’ll have to fight her battles for her for a while, if it comes to that. Now, have you two got all that?”

Feeling slightly overwhelmed, Avani and I nodded. Nancy smiled at the numb looks on our faces, and promised to write out a list of instructions and have Dolce bring them over later. We stood up and started to walk out, and I put my arm around her shoulders, still feeling incredulous. “So… we really are going to be parents, My Lady. Well, well… I suppose I’d better go tell everyone the news. It’s never too soon to start extolling the virtues of our forthcoming prodigy, after all! Oh, and as for the name—I’ll leave that up to you, love. So be sure you pick a perfect one!” I grinned at her and tousled her hair again before heading out to share our good fortune.

* * *

 

Later that day, when I returned home, I found Avani curled up on the sofa with the foxes in her lap, gazing wistfully into the fire as she absently stroked their fur. Uno looked up at me as I walked in, yawning lazily. “Your mate has become _most_ comfortable since your successful impregnation,” his voice spoke in my mind. “We estimate that her internal temperature his risen nearly two degrees as a result. Very pleasant in this frosty weather.” Then he lay his head back down, burying his nose contentedly beneath his tails.

Avani looked up as I walked over, still bemused by Uno’s comments. “How’d it go? Are you the envy of all the town now?” she asked with a grin, her eyes sparkling.

“Naturally! Although I can’t for the life of me understand why everyone hopes that our child will take after _you_ and not _me_. Particularly Forte—perhaps I need to remind her how _refreshing_ my sense of humor is.” She snorted, trying to stifle her giggles, and I grinned at her as I sat down by her side, picking up a drowsily protesting Uno and dropping him onto my lap to make more room. “Now then, what were _you_ up to, My Lady? You looked as though you were a million miles away when I walked in.”

She sighed and stared back into the fire. “Oh, I was just thinking… I feel a little bit sad that… well, that neither of us has any family, you know. Or none that we know of, anyway. Our baby won’t have any grandparents, or aunts and uncles, or any little cousins to play with.”

“Yes, that’s true… but our baby _will_ have _us_ , not to mention an entire town full of adoring, doting admirers. I think we’ll make a fine, happy family, My Lady.”

She snuggled a little closer, and the dreamy look returned to her eyes as she stared into the flames, this time with a smile on her lips. “Yes… I think you’re right.”


	58. Chapter 58

“I’ve been thinking about baby names,” Avani commented as we sat relaxing before the fire after a long day of visiting the good citizens of Selphia, delivering New Year’s gifts to everyone. She had chosen to celebrate her first New Year’s Day in Selphia in that manner, and had done so every year since. And as usual, she had gone to great pains to give each person something that they especially loved or wished for. She had made each gift herself or had grown it in her own gardens, as handmade gifts were still preferred to purchased items in our town. It was a painstaking process that required days of preparation, gathering components as well as making everything, and she had spared no effort despite her condition. She did the same thing at Christmas each year, too, so by the end of New Year’s Day, she was exhausted from her endeavors, more so this year than ever.

I set my book down and put an arm around her shoulders to draw her closer. “Oh? And have you reached a decision, My Lady?” I smiled at her pensive expression.

“No… not exactly. But I was thinking that I’d like to name our child in honor of Venti,” she said, looking up at me. “I mean, she was such a dear friend to us both, and besides—she’s the reason we met in the first place. If it hadn’t been for her, our child wouldn’t even exist.”

“That’s true enough, and those are very good reasons for making her our child’s namesake, but are you actually proposing to name our child Ventuswill?” I frowned at the thought of a child with a dragon’s name—and a Native Dragon at that.

“Oh, no—that isn’t what I meant at all. I mean, I’d like to name the baby in her honor, not use her actual name. That would be strange and, well, kind of presumptuous, don’t you think? To give a human child a Native Dragon’s name? And even if it wasn’t, it would be a lot to live up to. I mean, just imagine growing up burdened with the name Fiersome! No, I just meant something that would kind of… commemorate her. So that if somehow… if there’s some way that she… that she can see us from the Forest of Beginnings… so that she knows that she’s still very much in our hearts and minds, you know,” she said, blushing as she struggled to convey her meaning.

“I think I understand,” I mused. “And I think it’s a lovely idea. Depending, of course, on what names you actually come up with.”

“I’ll think about it and let you know,” she smiled at me, nestling down against me.

I picked up my book and resumed my reading as she leaned against me, slipping into a light doze. The foxes wandered in from whatever crepuscular activities they had engaged in, phasing through the heavy wood door at the back of the room, and immediately leaped up onto Avani’s lap to soak up her surplus warmth while basking in the fire’s glow. They arranged themselves as best they could around her round belly as they resolidified, presenting themselves for petting.

I had been surprised by how quickly her belly had expanded, but Nancy reassured me that she was in perfect health. She also pointed out that some women just show more or sooner than others, and given how petite she was, it was not at all surprising that she already had a good-sized bump. Not that I minded, of course—watching the new life created by our union growing and thriving within her filled me to bursting with pride and joy.

After a while, Avani stirred and sleepily suggested we head off to bed. She was tired from the day’s activity, and she reminded me that the next couple of days would be equally busy for her. She’d met with Arthur and Volkanon before Christmas, and after a lengthy discussion, they’d all agreed to have a feast-day on Venti’s birthday—not a public festival, exactly, but rather a private commemoration for those who had known and loved her. So it was agreed upon that the town would close up early that day and gather at Porcoline’s restaurant for a party to celebrate her life—a birthday party at which the guest of honor would unavoidably be absent.

Porcoline was preparing most of the food, and Dylas would be assisting—that is, he’d mostly be standing guard to be sure his boss didn’t eat every dish as soon as he cooked it. In addition to Porcoline’s dishes, Avani was making the desserts for the party, as she had acquired quite a reputation for her baking skills. Furthermore, while Lumie offered to provide the flowers, it would be Margaret and Avani who would actually decorate with them, making garlands and floral arrangements to brighten up the restaurant. However, since Margaret was also in charge of the music, most of her time lately had been spent rehearsing with Deasún, who apparently had some skill with a small, end-blown flute known as a feadóg as well as with the mandolin, and had offered to share entertainment duties with her. That left her with little time for decorating, so most of that task fell to Avani as well. Fortunately, Nancy and Dolce offered to decorate the cakes for her, otherwise, she likely would have been too worn out to enjoy the event.

The next two days she was in a flurry of activity, baking up a storm, and in between, busily arranging flowers in large vases borrowed from the castle’s storerooms and tying more flowers into yards and yards of garlands. There wasn’t much I could do to help her, since my cooking abilities were far beneath hers and I had no talent whatsoever for flower arranging. So instead, I offered my services to her as errand-boy, running to the store when she ran low on ingredients, delivering messages, picking up additional flowers or other materials, and delivering things to Porcoline’s restaurant to be set aside under Dylas’s watchful eyes for the party.

At the end of each day, I forced her to sit back and put her feet up while I cooked a simple meal for us. And in the mornings, I made her breakfast in bed, and afterwards I did what I could to help with her chores. I had a black thumb when it came to growing things, but I did have some talent with animals, if less than her own, so I cared for her beasts while she tended her crops and orchards. Most of her monsters had come to accept me, even if they didn’t feel the deep affection for me that they had for her. One or two still held out against me, though, and could become belligerent at times when I entered their barn alone. But I could cope with the occasional aggressive cluckadoodle or wooly, though it did make grooming them a challenge.

* * *

 

The morning of Venti’s birthday dawned bright and clear—a gorgeous spring day. Signs went up in all the businesses warning tourists that they’d be closing early that day. Most had chosen to close at 17:00, an hour before the party was to begin, but Porcoline’s closed a few hours before everyone else to allow time for the last tourists to finish their meals and leave and for the restaurant to get cleaned and decorated before people began to arrive. And Lin put up a notice that the baths would be closing promptly at 16:00, to be sure the last patrons had time to finish bathing and leave before they shut the doors. She also set out a sign that no one would be available at the front desk after 17:00, in case any late arrivals came in search of a room for the night. Finally, Arthur posted a notice at the airship dock, cautioning tourists that businesses would be closing early, and he had warned the airship pilots that stopped in our town, as well.

Nancy and Dolce had picked up the many cake layers Avani had baked the night before and intended to spend the day decorating them together. I noticed that Nancy was radiant at the thought of spending the day thus occupied with her adopted daughter, and that Dolce, despite her sarcastic, cold demeanor, nevertheless seemed quietly pleased at the prospect, too. I thought it was wonderful that the two had found each other: the childless woman with a mother’s heart, and the orphaned girl who secretly longed for a mother’s tender care. Yet another example of the joy Venti had brought into our lives, both directly and indirectly.

After the morning chores were done, I helped Avani carry the last of the desserts and flowers to the restaurant. We left them with Dylas, then we hurried over to the inn to bathe, so that she could have a soak before Lin had heated it up all the way for the day’s patrons. Lin had been very obliging, refraining from heating up the ladies’ bathing pool until after Avani had her soak. Very few tourists came to the baths so early in the morning, and the few women in town that bathed early just waited a little longer if they wanted a really hot bath. I thought to myself that you’d never find that sort of consideration in a large city, where nearly everyone was a stranger. You needed a small-town environment to foster relationships of that caliber.

The final detail that Avani wanted to attend to before she began setting things up at the restaurant was an arrangement of gold vegetables. They’d been particular favorites of Venti’s, and she wanted to display some as a tribute to her. So after bathing, we took the airship to her winter field, where she grew all her golden vegetables—they seemed to thrive in the chill and heavy snowfall of that rugged mountain environment.

It was a spectacular sight, I had to admit—rows of shining golden vegetables poking up out of the thick blanket of pristine white. She carefully brushed away the snow from the glittering leaves of the crops, and selected a bushel of the finest specimens. Whatever she didn’t need for her display she could store for later use, as they kept remarkably well.

While she picked her vegetables, I wandered around nearby, scaring off a few curious snowies—large, animated snowmen—that had come to investigate our activities. Her auxiliary fields were, surprisingly, never disturbed by the local wildlife, but we always found monsters gathered nearby when we left, if we left by foot anyway. However, today we departed using the escape spell, returning to town just about the time the restaurant closed. We left the gold vegetables with Dylas, then we returned to the castle to change into our festival clothes and hurried back to start decorating.

As the last few patrons finished their meals, Avani arranged the display of golden vegetables. She arranged them artistically on a large platter, and placed it on a sideboard under a portrait of Venti borrowed from the castle. On either side, she placed urns with cascading arrangements of flowers, featuring large blue crystal flowers from her own fields. She then placed more flowers on the tables, the counter, and the grand piano. I balked, however, at her climbing up to hang the garlands, insisting that she stay on the ground and direct me as I hung them in her stead. Together, we completed the decorations just as the last customer paid his bill and left. Dylas quickly washed up the last of the dishes, and we pitched in with the tidying up, Avani wiping tables while I swept the floor. Soon the restaurant was sparkling clean.

Margaret arrived as we finished, and she stood guard over Porcoline while the food was brought out. Dylas pulled tray after tray of food from the storeroom while Avani set the dishes out and garnished them prettily with flowers, foliage, and decoratively cut fruits and vegetables. Deasún and Lumie arrived soon after we finished cleaning, and he and Margaret tuned their instruments while Dylas took over chef-sitting duties and Lumie helped us set out the food.

The rest of the townsfolk began to arrive at 18:00, and Margaret and Deasún began to play as they wandered in. Arthur, of course, had precedence as a Prince of the realm, but as was typical, he bowed out of the formalities and left Avani, as Acting Princess and the Baronet of the Selphia Plains, in charge. She stood in the center of the large room, flanked by Dylas and myself as her two knights, to welcome everyone as they arrived. She had chosen a charming frock made of a wispy fabric in a pale shade of cyan, and it clung to her, highlighting the new swells and curves of her body most attractively. Her initial morning sickness was already a thing of the past, and she had recovered the weight lost during that brief but turbulent time. In fact, she looked better than ever, at least to me—pregnancy seemed to agree with her, if her radiant smile and sparkling eyes were any indication, anyway. All the women and most of the men remarked on her appearance and her growing belly, all except Doug, who seemed a little leery, as if he expected her to go into labor any second despite being barely at the end of her first trimester.

* * *

 

The party was in full swing, the speeches having given way to music and dancing while the drink flowed freely, when suddenly my keen ears caught the sounds of a commotion outside. I caught Dylas’ eye, and we headed for the door to investigate the disturbance. Before either of us could reach the entrance, though, the doors suddenly burst open.

Standing in the doorway was a small group of strangers, with some of the guards attempting unsuccessfully to restrain them. The group consisted of a man, a woman, and a third figure, whose gender I was unable to ascertain at first glance. The man was young—younger than me, anyway—and surprisingly beautiful. His shoulder-length hair was the pale greenish gold of partly ripened grain, and his eyes were such a light shade of green or blue as to be nearly white, except for the dark green rim encircling each pale iris. Half a moment later, though, I realized that as striking as his eyes were, they were sightless, or nearly so. His skin was a light amber color, and his clothing was strange, unlike any I’d seen before. He wore loose, almost baggy, trousers of a lightweight fabric in a sandy color, and a peculiar jacket of the same cloth that was tight at the wrists but ballooned around his shoulders and back, leaving his bare chest exposed. A loosely wrapped turban adorned his head, the ends hanging down one side. The trim of the jacket and turban and the sash tied at his waist were all dyed a deep forest green.

Clinging to his left arm was the woman, who was both beautiful and exotic. Long, pale lilac hair hung to the backs of her knees, and her eyes were a deep amethyst color. A worried look clouded her delicate features, and a faint blush crept over her the pale golden skin of her cheeks as she looked around at the crowd staring at them. She wore a long skirt, split clear to the top of her thigh on one side, and a loose blouse that left her shoulders and midriff bare, both of a very fine, semi-sheer, white fabric. Wide gold cuffs adorned her thin wrists, and gold armbands were clasped around her arm above the low neckline. Earrings of gold and amethyst hung from her small ears, and a gold chain hung with pearls and amethysts was fastened around the top of her skirt at her hips. Seeing so many strange eyes staring at her appeared to enervate her, and she clung more tightly to her companion as her eyes continued to search the crowd.

As I regarded the pair, the third stranger pulled free of the guards’ grasp and stepped forward to the man’s other side, though still remaining a step or two back. On a closer inspection, I saw she was clearly female. She was tiny—possibly even smaller than Xiao—and had a thick, unruly mane of silver hair. Her clothing reminded me a little of Dylas’s, all leather and buckles. She wore a crimson jacket over a black top and black shorts, and black leather boots that ended mid-thigh. But her most striking feature by far was her eyes. I had never before met someone with heterochromatic eyes, and I found it initially somewhat disconcerting as my gaze jumped back and forth between the two different eyes, one ruby red and one emerald green, trying to determine which to focus on. After a moment, I realized she was returning my gaze with a disdainful, proud look that actually brought the color to my own cheeks. She definitely impressed me as an interesting individual, perhaps even more so than her companions.

Hearing the commotion at the doors, Avani turned and looked with a frown at the gatecrashers. Setting down her glass of juice, she strode over to see what the fuss was about. I was startled when the two women quietly gasped at her approach, though they remained silent, apparently struck speechless as they stared at her. Standing before the pair at the fore of the group, Avani looked from the man to his companions and back again. “I’m sorry,” she said firmly but not unkindly, “but the restaurant is closed for a private party at this time. In fact, the entire town is closed tonight. Perhaps you missed the notice at the airship dock. Do you have pressing business in town? Or can you return tomorrow?”

Then, to my complete and utter surprise, the man's face lit up at her voice, and reaching out to her, he pulled her to him and enfolded her in a tight embrace, her face reflecting the shock I felt.

“Avani!” he cried joyfully, tears beginning to spill down his cheeks. “I’ve come to you at last, my love!”


	59. Chapter 59

As the townsfolk behind me gasped and gaped at the spectacle playing out before them, I glared at the foreigner embracing my wife—a man who had not only just called her by name, but who had _also_ called her his love. My ears flattening in anger, I stepped forward and pulled Avani from his grasp. She looked up at me, bewildered and upset, and I put my arm protectively around her. “Who are you, and what is it that you want with _my wife_?” I growled.

“Sir!” one of the guards said, stepping forward and saluting. “These foreigners appeared out of nowhere in the middle of the street by the dock! We tried to detain them, but they were very determined, sir! The silver-haired young lady in particular is quite spirited!” Avani nodded to him, dismissing him, and I again turned my eyes to the strange man as I awaited his reply.

He turned his face in my direction. “You must be Leon,” he replied in a light tenor voice with an oddly familiar, lilting accent, and I started in surprise to hear him speak my name. “I will gladly answer your questions, but I think we should remove to somewhere more… well, private.”

I stared angrily at him, my ears still flattened, then the lilac-haired woman moved where I could see her more clearly. As I glanced at her, she looked at me beseechingly, and in a gentle voice, she simply said, “Please?”

We stared at each other, her imploring eyes meeting mine for several moments before she looked down at the ground. I looked at Avani, who, after a moment’s hesitation, gave a barely perceptible nod. “Fine,” I said, curtly. “Guards, you may release them and return to your patrol. I’m sure Forte will discuss this incident with you later.” Keeping my arm around Avani, I pushed through the group that had encircled us and out the door. “Follow me,” I said.

“Wait,” Dylas called after me. “I’m coming, too. I don’t know what’s going on, but I want to be there in case you need me.”

As I nodded agreement, Arthur pushed through the crowd, saying, “And I, too, will come.” I looked at him in surprise, and he smiled. “After all, it’s my duty to know what is going on in this town, especially when it concerns my father’s representative here.”

I gave him a faint smile and said, “All right. You and Dylas may both accompany us.” Then turning back to the townsfolk as they stared after us, bewildered and curious, I called back to them. “Please excuse us for now. Just go on with the party—we’ll rejoin you when we are able.” As Dylas pulled the doors closed behind us, I could hear Deasún strike up a lively tune on his mandolin while Margaret loudly exclaimed in dismay—apparently Porcoline had devoured quite a lot of the food while everyone was distracted.

Regaining her composure as we made our way through the dimly lit streets to the front door of our castle home, Avani again took the lead, though she still seemed wary of the strange man. As we walked, I glanced back behind me. The three strangers walked immediately behind us, first the man and the lilac-haired woman, who was carefully guiding him along the unfamiliar path, then the silver-haired woman behind them, and Arthur and Dylas brought up the rear. I called back to our unexpected visitors, “What are your names?”

The man replied, “I am called Rishi. My wife’s name is Sharmila, and behind us is Chanda.”

“ _Wife_?” I said, scowling. I wondered what he was playing at then, calling _my_ wife his ‘love’ when apparently he was a married man—and doing so in front of his own wife, at that. Just then, we reached the entrance to our rooms. Avani unlocked the door and entered first to light the lamps as we followed. I directed the three strangers to sit on the sofa while I built up the fire, which was no more than coals. Although it was spring, the nights were still cool in our northern town. A fire would be very welcome, and not just for warmth—it would also provide additional light.

There weren’t enough seats for everyone in our small sitting area, so I waved Arthur to one chair while leading Avani to the other. Dylas stood behind Arthur’s chair, and I stood behind my wife and scowled at the trio.

“So,” I began, “you say your names are Rishi, Sharmila, and Chanda. But who _are_ you? You aren’t from around here—your clothes and your accent give that away readily enough. What is your business here? And how is it that you know my wife’s name—and mine, for that matter?”

“Allow me to begin by giving you my full name and title. I am Rishi kumara Acanda, and I am the Ra’mara—the prince, or leader—of my tribe, the Ventuani. Your wife is Avani kumari Acanda—my sister.”

You could have heard a pin drop, the room was so still.

“Y-your… your _what_?” Avani stammered after a moment, pale and unsteady.

“My _twin_ sister, to be precise.”

Looking down at my wife’s ashen face in concern, I turned to the stranger who claimed kinship with her. “I don’t know if what you say is true, but I must insist that you go gently with my wife. She has amnesia, and remembers nothing before her arrival here, save her first name.”

He nodded sympathetically. “Yes, I know. I am the one responsible for her memory loss.”

“You… you _what_?” Dylas roared, glaring balefully at him as he took a step towards him, his fists clenched.

Avani stood up and looked at him. “Dylas, please calm down.” Turning to Rishi, she said, “Please explain what you mean. How are you responsible? I lost my memory in an accident. Are you… are you saying that _you_ caused the accident? Did _you_ send those soldiers against me?” She sat down again quickly, trembling, as the implications of his words and hers suddenly sank in.

I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, then glared at the man, though I knew he couldn’t see my expression. “Is that true? Did _you_ do this to her—to the one you now claim as your sister?” From across the room, I heard the sound of Dylas cracking his knuckles, apparently preparing himself for a fight.

Rishi held up a hand. “Please, you misunderstand me. I did not cause her _accident_ ; I caused her _memory loss_. Though the two appear on the surface to be related, they are, in fact, not—other than in their timing.” He sighed and rose, turning towards Avani. “Perhaps this conversation would make more sense if I were to first restore your memory, my love.”

“Will you stop calling her that?” I snapped, sensing her discomfort with his familiarity, and ill at ease with his use of that term of endearment myself, stranger that he was to us both.

“My apologies. That was ever our customary form of address, as the bond between us was a very close one. But for now, I will try to refrain, at least until her memory has been restored. May I now begin the process, my dear sister?”

She looked up at him uncertainly. “What… what is it you want to do to me exactly?”

“It’s difficult to explain, especially since you don’t remember any of our history. In essence, I have blocked the part of your mind that stores all of your memories up until the moment you awoke from your accident. I sensed a little leakage here and there over the past year or two, but for the most part, the barrier holds firm. I need only remove that barrier, and you will remember… everything.”

“I don’t like the idea of a stranger—who may or may not be a relative—messing around in my wife’s head,” I said sternly.

But Avani looked up at me, then stood and gently stroked my cheek. She turned to face Rishi, and calmly said, “You may proceed.” I started to protest, but she placed a finger on my lips. “No, Leon. It’s time. If he really is who he says… if he really can bring back my memories… isn’t it better to know the truth about my past than to turn and flee from it? Remember, you and Dylas once told me that I cried out his name in my sleep—his, and one other’s. So it’s not inconceivable that he’s telling the truth. And… I want to know.”

I stepped back then, despite my concerns. Rishi held out his hand to her, and she stepped forward to face him. “I must warn you,” he said, his brow furrowed, “that the sudden influx of memory may be a shock to you. Especially as some of your memories… well, to say that some of them are not pleasant is an understatement. Are you prepared for this?”

She straightened up. “Will… will it harm my baby?” she asked, a flicker of fear passing over her face.

The woman called Sharmila stepped forward. “May I?” Avani and I looked at her, uncertain of her intentions. “I am one of the seers of our people as well as the wife of your brother,” she explained. “I will attempt to ascertain if your child will come to harm, though it seems unlikely as long as you both are in good health.”

Avani hesitated a moment, then nodded. Sharmila stepped forward and placed her hands on the roundness of her belly and closed her eyes in concentration. A moment later they flew open, and she looked, startled, into Avani’s eyes. After a slight pause, she removed her hands, saying, “Your children will not come to harm anytime in the very near future.”

“Children?” I said, sharply.

“What… what do you mean?” Avani asked, her eyes wide.

“Did you not know that you carry twins? I didn’t realize that Rishi had blocked your memories so completely that you even lost your awareness of our genetic heritage. Yet somehow, you still…. Well, all that aside, like you and your brother, your children are male and female. I’m surprised you were unable to sense even that, even if you weren’t aware that you should be able to do so.”

“I… I think perhaps I might have,” she replied, faintly. “Only, I misinterpreted it. Leo asked if I thought we’d be having a boy or a girl, and I couldn’t tell which—I felt equally pulled both directions. I thought I just didn’t know, but maybe it was because there was one of each.”

“Quite likely. Anyway, you are safe to proceed. But as Rishi warned you, this may be a shock to you. I suggest that you lie down first, to make it easier on you. You… could lose consciousness, if you become overwhelmed.”

Avani looked up at me, apprehensive yet determined to go through with it, and then slowly walked over to the bed and lay down. I pulled a blanket over her, in case she really did go into shock, then I sat next to her and held her hand. I looked over at Rishi and asked. “All right, what next? Do you need to… lay hands on her or anything?”

He turned our direction and smiled. “Contact strengthens the connection between us significantly, but it is not _strictly_ necessary. It will help if I may touch her—just a hand on her head is enough. However, as much as it pains me, I realize that for now, I am only a stranger to her. So if my touch alarms or distresses her, I will refrain.”

Avani looked up at me and I smiled at her reassuringly. “Fear not, My Lady. Whatever happens, I’m right here with you.”

She smiled then, and looked at Rishi. “It’s okay. Do whatever you need to do.”

Sharmila guided Rishi over to the bed, and I suggested she bring a chair from the kitchen for him to sit on. She did so, and Rishi sat down next to Avani and held out his hand. Sharmila placed his palm on Avani’s forehead and stepped back behind his seat, watching closely. I noticed that she bit her lip as if in concern or fear, and that there were tears welling up in her eyes. I quickly looked back at Avani, who had closed her eyes as she waited patiently to face the unknown.

“Here we go. Brace yourself. I… I wish I could somehow ease this for you, my… my sister.”

I don’t know what I expected—a flash of light, a burst of noise… _something_. But nothing seemed to happen, at least, nothing apparent to mere observers. But after a moment, Avani’s eyes flew open, and she stared, unseeing, at the ceiling as a wide range of emotions flickered rapidly across her face: happiness and joy and curiosity were predominant at first, mingled with the stubbornness that I knew so well. Quickly, new emotions entered the mix: love, and dismay, and anger, and soon afterwards, loathing and despair. Before much longer, the earlier emotions of happiness and joy had all but vanished, and the loathing and despair became the predominant emotions. Then stark terror filled her eyes, erasing all traces of any other emotion, and she struggled to rise. Her mouth opened as if to cry out, but no sound emerged. Then she fell back, senseless.

I looked up, panicked despite the warning that had been given, as I clung tightly to her hand. “Is she… will she be all right? What is it? What happened?” I was surprised to see tears not only in Sharmila’s eyes, but also in Rishi’s. Even Chanda, who had quietly crept over to us, had a suspicious moisture on her cheeks.

Rishi nodded slowly as he rose. “She… she will be as well as can be expected. She… has remembered….” His voice faltered, and he closed his eyes and turned away, leaning against Sharmila for support.

“Remembered _what_? What is it that filled her with such terror?”

Chanda slipped between Rishi and the bed and knelt down next to Avani, gently stroking her pale cheek with a gloved hand as she gazed at her. Without looking away from her face, she whispered, “Her wedding night.”


	60. Chapter 60

I looked at Chanda sharply. “Our _wedding night_? Why would _that_ be so terrifying to her? I was _there_ , damn it, and fear was the _last_ thing either of us was feeling!”

Chanda shook her head slowly. “No… not _your_ wedding night. Hers and… and… _his_.” She shuddered, and another tear slowly trickled down her cheek.

I felt the room begin to spin for a moment as her words hit me. “Her… _her_ wedding night? Hers and _whose_? Just what are you saying?”

Dylas angrily stormed over, quickly joined by Arthur. “What are you people getting at? What do you mean by ‘her wedding night’?” Dylas demanded.

Rishi sighed. “Avani has now slipped from unconsciousness into slumber. I’ll try to explain as best I can while she rests. Perhaps if we return to the fire, we will be less likely to disturb her. I think she needs to sleep for now.”

I shook my head. “No. Absolutely not. I’m not leaving her until she wakes up. I don’t understand what’s going on, but I don’t want her to wake up frightened and alone.”

Chanda stood up and looked at me. “Go ahead. I’ll stay with her.”

“Who _are_ you, anyway?” I asked, frowning, reluctant to just hand my wife over to a total stranger. “Another relative? A sister?”

“I’m her wife,” she replied calmly.

I jumped up angrily. “What the hell!”

Sharmila raised her hand, cutting me off. She turned to Chanda with a reproving look. “Chanda… you _know_ that isn’t true. We can do without unnecessary provocation right now. Things are difficult enough as it is without you making them worse.”

Chanda crossed her arms over her chest and looked down at the floor with a sullen expression. “It _should_ be true. She won me fair and square.”

“ _What_? What is _with_ you people? What do you mean, Avani ‘won’ you? Will someone _please_ explain what’s going on?” I felt anger and frustration displacing my bewilderment, and clenched my fists as I struggled to maintain some composure.

Sharmila took me by the arm, and led me and Rishi back to fire. I glanced back and saw Chanda sit in the chair I had just vacated, watching over Avani as she slept. I sat down in the chair Arthur had previously occupied, from which I could keep an eye on my wife, and glared at the couple on the sofa and waited. Arthur sat down in the other chair, and Dylas stood leaning against the mantel, shifting impatiently.

Laying a hand on Rishi’s arm, Sharmila said, “Perhaps it would be best if I started. You can correct me or add things as you see fit, but I know the story is difficult for you to tell. At least, parts of it.” He hesitated, then nodded agreement, and she looked over at me.

“To begin at the beginning, since you know nothing of us or our people…. As Rishi mentioned, we call ourselves the Ventuani. We once were a great nation, many centuries ago, but we have dwindled both in number and in power. Only a few of us remain, though our blood flows in the veins of many. We were the original Avanani, or what you call ‘Earthmates’. We serve Ventu, the God of Creation, and the manifestation of his will on our plane: the Native Dragon that bears his name, Ventu’s Will.

“Though we once reigned over much of the continent, our people grew decadent and apathetic, and our line became dilute as we intermingled with other races. Eventually we were overthrown, and a new civilization replaced our own—the forefathers of the current monarchy, I believe, though of that I am not entirely certain. The few surviving Ventuani became nomads, wandering to and fro across the continent, crossing borders undetected, before finally settling in the hills and mountains in the far south of your kingdom. In an effort to preserve what was left of our bloodline, we banned marriages to outsiders without explicit permission from our leader, the Ra’mara of the Ventuani. Although once all of our people had been powerful Avanani, now few of us are born with any such power, and even then greatly diminished from our prime. The hallmarks by which an Avanan of our people is known are green eyes or green hair. The more pure the green, the greater the power, and both green eyes and hair represented the greatest potential. Avani was the first child born with both true green eyes and true green hair in many, _many_ generations, and her birth caused a sensation on that account. By comparison, Rishi’s hair is greenish yellow, and his eyes are a very pale blue-green; therefore, he possesses far less runic power than his sister. I have neither, and so I am not an Avanan at all.

“Avani’s green hair and eyes weren’t the only cause for sensation among our people, though. The fact that they were twins, male and female, also was of great interest. In our tribe, such twins are a rarity, and they are destined to become the Dragon Knight and Dragon Priest or Priestess. Usually the role of the Knight falls to the brother, while the sister is trained as Priestess. However, as Rishi was born almost completely blind, he could not fill the customary role of Knight, and so their positions were reversed. Avani was proclaimed the future Dragon Knight, whose duty it is to protect the Priestess—and Ventuswill herself, should we ever return to power.

“Further complicating things was their heritage. Their father was the Ra’mara of the tribe. Our tribe practices male-preferred primogeniture, so although Avani had been born before her brother, Rishi was first in line to inherit the title upon their father’s death or abdication. Some of our people harbored doubts about his fitness to lead the tribe, wondering how a man thus afflicted could effectively lead the tribe should war come to us. Most considered the point moot, as we have been a peaceful people for centuries now, removed from the politics and tribulations of the world around us. Still, there were some skeptics then—and are even to this day.

“Now, in our tribe, we have a triumvirate of seers, bearing the titles of the Nivara, or Maiden; the Janani, or Mother; and the Narmara, or Crone. Upon the death of the Crone, the Mother is promoted to Crone, and the Maiden to Mother, and the first girl child born after the former Crone’s death becomes the new Maiden. As soon as she is weaned from her mother’s breast, she is taken to the temple, where she is raised by the Mother and educated by the Crone. A child born on the night of either the full moon or the new is considered especially auspicious for such a role, as she is believed to be particularly powerful. If born on the night of the new moon, her power is believed to be negative, and she will be revered but feared; if the moon is full, her power is positive, and she will be loved instead of feared. I was such a child, born in the middle of the night of the harvest moon two days after the death of the previous Crone. It was foretold that I would be an especially strong Mother, and I was given a name that means ‘protector’ or ‘comfort’ in the ancient tongue of our people.

“One of the roles of the seer among our people is to determine a child’s name, either before or immediately after birth. The name is always in the old tongue, which is now used only for names, titles, and spells, and although few know the meanings of the names given, they represent the child’s future or personality. Therefore, to name a child is also to name his or her destiny. Rishi means ‘wise man’ and Chanda means ‘fierce’ or ‘passionate’. Avani is related to our word for Earthmates, the Avanani; it is the word for a female Avanan. Avani means ‘woman of the earth’, while Avanani means ‘people of the earth’. The implication of this name was that she would have great rune power, and many hoped that her birth heralded a return to our former glory. In addition, at her birth, the Crone foretold that she would change the fate of the world.

“This prophesy caused a great deal of excitement, as you can no doubt imagine. Unfortunately, it also drew the attention of… of the man she would one day marry. At her birth, he was but a boy of twelve, yet he had already set his feet upon the path that he would follow throughout his life, even to this day. Please excuse me, Leon, but I cannot bring myself to speak his name. None of us three can. It is… an anathema to us, as is its bearer. Even the _meaning_ of his name… it means ‘terrible’ or ‘formidable’.” She shifted in her seat, shivering slightly despite the warmth of the fire, and her eyes dimmed for a moment at some private thought or memory before she continued.

“Anyway, after the prophesy was given, it seems _he_ became determined to marry her, that she was somehow key to his goals, whatever they were. So when he was sixteen years of age and Avani was but a child of four, he approached their father, our Prince, and asked to marry her when she came of age. After some deliberation, her father consented, with the provision that Avani be permitted to retain her title of Dragon Knight and the duties and training appurtenant thereto, and that he wait until she reached the age of eighteen—the age at which her training and education would be considered complete—before the marriage took place. His family was an old family, and one of the few remaining nearly pure bloodlines, but that line was dying out. He was, in fact, the only male born to it in that generation, and its only chance for survival. Marriage to… to the scion of that family line was considered advantageous in many ways, not least of which was that he himself was so well-regarded. He was… _is_ … considered to be extremely handsome, and he _can_ be very charismatic—when it suits him, that is.”

Rishi interrupted in a low voice, his face turned towards the warmth of the fire. “She was a beautiful child, Leon. So happy and good-natured, always kind and helpful. Our mother called her ‘Kunapi’ when she was little, which was our name for a tiny, lively, pretty green songbird found in the mountain forests of our home. She always helped me, guiding me as we walked, and keeping me safe while we played. All my life, I’ve never been able to see more than blurs of light and color. But while my vision was so poor as to be all but useless, I instead gained something else: a telepathic link to my twin. It was only one-way, but it was still something special that tied us even more closely together. I could see what she saw, hear what she heard, feel what she felt… and, with great difficulty, I could even speak to her in her mind. All her senses were at my disposal, but none of mine were at hers. It was a secret that we shared, and we often used it to pull pranks on the adults. I had no control over it, though, as a child, and could not turn it off and on at will.

“As I was saying, she was a lovely, sweet child, and we were the best of friends. I loved my sister dearly, and I would have done anything for her, though my abilities were few in comparison to hers. She began her training for her role as the Knight at an early age, only eight. She could hardly even lift her short sword. She also began instruction in the ways of the Avanani, and that was in addition to her formal education. Her teachers, each and every one of them, remarked in astonishment at her talent, at how quickly she learned, at her thirst for knowledge.

“She had very little time to herself after her education began in earnest. What little playtime she had was usually spent with me or with Chanda, who was marked an outcaste at birth. Despite that, Avani befriended her, though few others would even speak to her—even her own father avoided her. So Chanda rewarded my sister’s kindness to her with absolute, unconditional devotion.”

“Why was she marked an outcaste?” Arthur interrupted, curiously. “Such a thing is unheard of in Norad.”

"Is it?" Rishi asked in honest surprise. "You mean, you have no dregs of society, people who are shunned and avoided and scorned due to something beyond their control, such as illness or injury, poverty or parentage?" Arthur looked somewhat taken aback, but Rishi continued. "You will have noticed Chanda's eyes are unusual. I'm told that one is red and the other is green. Unfortunately, many in our tribe, especially among the older generations, are very superstitious, and such heterochromia is considered an ill omen, particularly if one eye is red—that's considered to be a sign that the person has been marked by the God of Destruction. I know it sounds foolish—and it _is_ foolish. But it wasn't the least bit funny for Chanda growing up like that. I didn't care, in part because I couldn't even see her eyes and in part because Avani assured me that it made no difference. But Avani didn't need anyone to tell _her_ that—she just believed with all her heart that Chanda was a good person. She was unusually egalitarian in her views not only as a child, but as an adult as well.

“And so things continued for a few years, Avani learning swordplay and martial arts, horticulture and animal husbandry, and many other things considered befitting a young lady of our tribe, such as cooking, sewing, needlework, and music, while I prepared for my priestly duties with the Crone, who were simultaneously training Sharmila, the Maiden. In addition to these vocational studies, we still had our formal education: reading, writing, mathematics, tribal history, storytelling, and spellcasting. Some of these I was _not_ taught, due to my impairment, but I learned them nonetheless through Avani’s eyes. And she taught much of what she learned to Chanda, who was denied the opportunity for education after many parents objected to her attendance in our little school. Chanda didn’t care much for formal education, however, and balked at learning much beyond basic reading and writing and arithmetic, though she did enjoy when my sister would relate our history in the form of stories. And she did well at combat training, making a fine sparring partner for Avani—which no doubt contributed to her progress.

“When we were fourteen, though, I became aware one day of a… a difference in my sister—of a new sentiment, a new… _focus_ secreted deep within her thoughts. And soon I realized that my beloved sister—my dearest friend—was in love.”


	61. Chapter 61

“His name was Sundara….”

We all jumped at the sound of Avani’s voice, and I half-rose as I quickly looked her way. She was sitting up on the bed, her chin resting on her knees as she stared ahead at nothing, and Chanda was standing next to her, stroking her hair as she looked over her shoulder at us in dismay.

“You mean your former lover? The one you remembered in your dreams one night?” I asked, trying to remember the details of that conversation. She had said he’d died… no, that he’d been murdered.

“Yes. He was two years older than me, and he was a vocational music student, the apprentice to the chief musician, called the pravada—meaning bard. One of his duties was to help teach the non-vocational students, such as me. He was very talented and could play many instruments as well as sing. He had a beautiful, rich, baritone voice. But he was especially skilled with the sur-mandal. Do you remember his instrument, Rishi? It was so beautiful, painted like the tip of a peacock’s tail feather. He loved peafowl, and kept them as pets….” A strangled sob escaped her throat, and she hugged her legs more tightly.

Sharmila glanced at Rishi, then looked over to me. “Perhaps… perhaps we should go and continue this conversation tomorrow. Avani has been through a lot tonight, and she should rest. I imagine that she is feeling overwhelmed and overwrought at the sudden return of her memory. Will that be acceptable?”

I looked at my wife’s huddled form as she wept quietly on the bed, then looked over to Dylas and Arthur, both of whom gave no indication of any preference. With a sigh, I said, “Yes, that will be acceptable. I think you’re right—a good night’s rest should prove beneficial.”

Rishi turned towards me. “Is there a place in town where we may stay the night? We _could_ teleport back to our village and return in the morning if needed, but such travel is taxing.”

Arthur spoke up. “There is an inn in town. The innkeeper, along with all the rest of the town, is at a celebration tonight and is not accepting guests. However, under the circumstances, I’m certain she will make an exception for you. If you will just come with me, I will introduce you.”

I stood up, too, saying, “My apologies that I cannot offer you a bed here. We only have a small daybed in the study for guests. However, if there is only room for the two of you at the inn, Chanda could stay there tonight.”

Dylas glanced questioningly at me, then added, “Or if there is only room for one at the inn, I could sleep on the daybed here and Rishi and Sharmila could have my room for the night.”

“Thank you,” Rishi said, bowing slightly. “Your kindness is appreciated.”

As I led them to the back door, to take the shortcut through the gardens to the restaurant, I said, “Then let’s reconvene tomorrow, say at 10:00? Arthur, could we perhaps use your office? Or would you prefer to meet here?”

Before he could answer, though, Avani looked up at me and said barely above a whisper, “Here, please, Leo. It’s more… more private.”

Sharmila led Rishi to Avani, and he bent down to kiss her on her head. “Then goodnight, Avani dear. I hope you rest well,” he said to her gently.

She reached up and hesitantly touched his cheek. “Good night, Rishi, my love. I… I’m glad you found me again.” He grasped her hand and held it tightly for a moment, then released it and turned to leave. Sharmila also kissed her head, whispering something that brought a half-smile to Avani’s face before she, too, took her leave.

Chanda hesitated, reluctant to leave. Avani smiled at her, though her eyes still glistened with tears in the amber light. She reached out and pulled the silver-haired woman into an embrace, murmuring, “Thank you for coming with Rishi and Sharmila, Chanda. We have a lot to catch up on, so please come again tomorrow. Right now, though, I need to rest. I’m so very tired….”

Her friend straightened up and nodded, but said nothing. Then she gave her a quick kiss on her cheek before darting out the door, racing past Rishi and Sharmila, who walked slowly and carefully over the unfamiliar terrain.

Arthur bade us good night and said he’d return for a consultation if there was any difficulty in procuring beds for our visitors tonight. Then he departed, leaving only Dylas, who looked suddenly, strangely, shy.

“So… uhh, I guess this means you’ve recovered your memories? That’s… that’s good. I know how much it bothered you, that you couldn’t remember. I’m glad for you.”

Avani again leaned her head against her knees, shivering as if suddenly chilled. “Thanks, Dylas. But… I’m not sure you _should_ be glad… nor that I am.”

Looking a little baffled, Dylas hesitated a moment, then followed the others out into the night, and I quietly closed the door behind him.

Avani looked up at me, and she appeared weary beyond words. “I know you must have a lot of questions, Leo. But I’m so exhausted I can hardly think straight. And I can’t really… I haven’t assimilated everything yet. It’s all so confusing. Can you wait until tomorrow? Let me sleep on it. And would you ask the butlers to see to my crops and animals tomorrow, please? I think I’m going to need all the rest I can get.”

I sighed to myself—I’d very much hoped to talk things over with her once we were alone, to find out… to find out just what had frightened her so. But I wouldn’t press her—I knew she would tell me in her own time. “Of course, My Lady,” I replied, but before I left to write a note for Volkanon, I sat next to her and put my arms around her, holding her tightly. “Just remember what I told you—I’m here with you. No matter what happens, I will _never_ forsake you.”

She leaned against me, saying, “Thanks, Leo. And I can at least tell you this much is true—Rishi _is_ my own dear twin brother. It… it’s incomprehensible that I could have lived the past three years separated from him.” And with that, she lay back down, and even before I rose, she was sound asleep.

* * *

 

“Mr. Leon, sir?” A soft voice penetrated the mists of my dreams, and as my final fantasy gave way to reality, I opened my eyes to see Vishnal hovering anxiously over me, one hand gently resting on my shoulder.

“Yeah?” I replied groggily, blinking in the light of a sunny spring morning, dazzling to my tired eyes despite being filtered through the draperies. “What’s up? Is anything wrong? Didn’t Volkanon get my note?”

“Oh, yes, sir! Everything’s taken care of! He said that you asked me to wake you and Princess at 9:00, and that’s what time it is now.”

“Dragonsbreath, is it that late already?” I sighed and sat up. “Thanks, Vishnal. I’ll wake Avani up after I’ve made breakfast. Let’s let her sleep while she can, all right?”

“Yes sir, but there’s no need to make breakfast. Clorica already made breakfast for you! She’ll be along in just a few minutes with it.”

“Ahh, how very kind of her. Thanks, I’ll take it from here.” I started to swing my legs off the bed to rise, but Vishnal remained where he was, still looking anxious. “Is… there something else?” I asked, eying him curiously.

“Well… no… I mean, nothing _official_ anyway….” he replied, looking flustered.

“Come on, out with it, man. What is it?”

“I-it’s just that… is… is it true what they’re saying? That the strange man that showed up at the party last night is Princess’s brother, and that he’s come to take her away?”

I looked at him, startled. The rumor mill never ceased to amaze me—it always came up with such surprising things, both back in my time and in this present time.

“I suppose that’s half true. He _is_ her brother, but as far as I know, he hasn’t come to take her away. Even if he wants her to return with him, she’s not going anywhere she doesn’t want to go. So don’t fret, Vishnal. She’s happy here, and I’m sure here is where she’ll choose to stay when all’s said and done.”

He looked relieved at that, and with a cheerful smile, he took his leave just as Clorica arrived with a breakfast tray. With a sigh, I got out of bed, placing a finger on my lips to remind her to keep quiet. She nodded, and took the tray into the kitchen, then hurried back out, smiling as she waved goodbye before silently closing the door behind her.

I slipped into my robe, then turned to look at my wife, still soundly asleep. I’d managed to get her into her nightgown last night—a simple, loose chemise that still fit comfortably around her round belly. She’d barely stirred as I’d removed her clothing and pulled the gown over her head, she was so completely drained from the night’s events. If I could, I’d let her sleep as long as she wanted—all day, even.

But time and tide wait for no man—or woman—and our guests would arrive in less than an hour. So, regretfully, I shook her gently by the shoulder until her eyelids fluttered, then flew open as she looked, startled, into my eyes. I smiled down at her, saying, “Good morning, My Lady. It’s time we were up and preparing for our guests’ arrival.”

She looked confused for a moment, then in the blink of an eye, I saw dawning realization as the recollection of last night crashed over her like a tidal wave. Her eyes opened wide, her pupils dilated for an instant at some memory, and then she was up and darting towards her wardrobe, exclaiming delightedly over the scent of Clorica’s breakfast wafting in from the kitchen, that split second of fear or shock already a thing of the past.

* * *

 

We had just finished drying the last dish and stacked it on the tray with the others when there was a knock on the back door. Avani went to answer it while I hurried off to deliver the tray of dishes to Clorica, along with our thanks. When I returned, Avani was sitting on the arm of the sofa next to her brother, his wife seated between him and Chanda. Arthur occupied the chair near the back door, and Dylas paced restlessly between the cellar stairs and the bed, his eyes darting between Avani and the trio on the sofa. Everyone looked up as I walked in and closed the door behind me, and I nodded in greeting, gesturing for Dylas to take the empty chair. He shook his head, saying, “Nah, you take it. I don’t feel like sitting.” However, he stopped pacing and leaned against the back of Arthur’s chair.

I looked over at Avani, who returned my gaze with a slight nod. She rose and walked over, sitting in the empty chair. I sat on the arm of her chair and waited. Before she could say a word, though, Rishi spoke up. “Before any more time passes, Avani, my love, I have news that you need to hear.” She turned to look at him, waiting silently for him to continue.

“There is no easy way to say this, so forgive my abruptness. In the three years since you departed, our parents have both passed away. Our mother first, shortly after you vanished. Our father only recently passed, so I now lead our tribe. Furthermore, now that you have recovered your memory, I want you to know why I chose the course of action I took.”

Avani held up her hand, tears in her eyes. “Wait. Our mother… she’s gone?”

He nodded. “I… convinced everyone that you had died in the fall from the airship. It seemed the perfect opportunity—it was a verifiable event, and certainly death was a reasonable outcome of such an accident. Only I knew that you survived at first, though eventually I confided in Sharmila. Even Chanda didn’t know until yesterday, shortly before our departure. Our mother grieved greatly for you, but I think the final blow was… she learned from our father what you had told him about your marriage. I was there when her told her, and she was utterly devastated. _She_ didn’t doubt your claims. In the morning, she… she was gone. And Father….”

Avani cut him off, a hard look in her eyes. “Save your breath, Rishi. You _know_ how I feel about our father. As for why you sealed my memory and told everyone that I was dead… I understand, I think. You wanted to keep me from returning… to _him_. And to keep him from looking for me. Isn’t that right?”

Rishi nodded, his eyes troubled. “I still don’t know if I did the right thing. It was… all I could do to protect you. The first time I’ve _ever_ been able to protect you….”

Sharmila put her hand over his, and Avani looked first at me, then at her brother. She smiled, and said kindly, “Don’t doubt yourself, Rishi, my love. If you hadn’t… I wouldn’t have met Venti, and then I’d never have made so many dear friends, or met Leo. Although my amnesia troubled me deeply, I’ve still lived a happier life since coming here than I had for many years before. Everything happens for a reason… even if we can’t fully comprehend those reasons at the time.”

He relaxed, looking relieved, and smiled . Then everyone looked expectantly at Avani, and she cleared her throat, a little nervously, I thought. She looked up at me, worried again, and I smiled reassuringly at her. She smiled back, then her smile faded as she looked off into space, remembering.

“To continue from last night, Sundara was an apprentice musician, and one of his many tasks was to help students like me to learn music. I can still remember the day I realized I was in love with him, as clearly as though it was yesterday. Of course, we’d known each other all our lives—our tribe is small and close-knit. But one day late in spring, I happened to look over at him as he sat beneath a tree playing his sur-mandal, stealing a few minutes of time to himself while we students copied a musical score for practice. I’d meant to ask him a question about the notation, but when I looked at him, my heart suddenly felt constricted, as if it had been tightly bound and was trying to burst free. I just stared at him, struck dumb by the wonder and beauty of it all—him and his music and just everything all together.

“I’m not sure how long I stared, but he looked up after a bit and caught me. I remember looking quickly away in embarrassment, but my gaze kept returning to him anyway—and each time I looked his way, I found him returning my gaze, smiling at me, though his eyes looked surprised. I don’t really remember what music that I copied that day, nor playing it later. But I do remember the sweetness of the tune _he_ played, there in the shade of the huge old mango tree.

“After he dismissed us for the afternoon, he called me back. Swinging up onto the lower limbs of the tree, he reached up and plucked a ripe mango—the first of that season’s harvest—and jumped back down, landing gracefully. He tucked his sur-mandal under his arm, and asked me if I would walk with him and talk with him. I just nodded, dumbstruck, but he smiled beautifully at me. As we strolled along the hilly path, he pulled out his small knife and shaved off bits of mango and fed them to me, talking all the while, not just about music, but about the birds he’d heard and the flowers and the trees he’d seen while on his solitary walks in the hills. From that day on, we’d meet and walk together all through the hills and valleys whenever we both had free time.

“That was when I was fourteen and he was sixteen. He kissed me for the first time nearly a year later, on my fifteenth birthday—my birthday is really Spring 17, Leo, not Fall 2, the date Venti picked at random, and I’ll be twenty-five this next Spring. Anyway, Sundara had found a pretty, tiny, wild orchid growing in the mist at the back of a tiny wisp of a waterfall tumbling between two mossy rocks into a pool of deep blue water, and he took me to see it. He told me…” she paused for a moment, smiling at the memory, then continued. “He said that it was the waterfall’s birthday gift to me, as the flower was too ephemeral to survive the night. He’d come across it on one of his solitary walks and had watched and waited for it to bloom, and it had finally done so just that morning. Then… he leaned over and kissed me and said that was _his_ gift to me, but that he hoped I’d accept many more of the same in the future.” She sighed, and closed her eyes to hide the tears that I saw sparkling there.

“Later, he told me that he’d fallen in love with me one day summer day shortly before he turned sixteen, while he was showing me how to tune my new sarode—an instrument similar to a lute—for the first time. He said he had thought to himself that I smelled like fresh earth and the forest and sunshine, and that my voice was like the laughter of a mountain rivulet. From then on, he said, he began taking walks in the woods whenever he had a little free time, hoping to see me there. Then, almost a year afterwards, when he caught me staring at him that day as he played under the mango tree, he knew from the look in my eyes that _finally_ I had noticed him, too, and his heart leapt with joy.

“When he turned eighteen, he told me that he wanted to spend the rest of his days with me, that he could never love another as he loved me. I knew, of course, that I’d been betrothed since I was hardly more than a babe to… to another. But it had never felt _real_. He knew of my betrothal, too—everyone did. After all, I was the Princess, the daughter of the Ra’mara, and my eventual marriage was of keen interest to the whole tribe. But he hoped to persuade my father to change his mind. So on that day, he approached my father to petition him to nullify my betrothal and allow me to marry him instead.

“I… I don’t know how _he_ learned of it… my fiancé, that is, but somehow he did, and as Sundara spoke to my father while I stood at his side, he stormed into the room. He angrily reminded my father that his honor was at stake; should he break our betrothal, our family would be dishonored, and his ability to lead the tribe compromised. My father… agreed with him, and denied Sundara his petition. Then… then he demanded I tell him if I was still a virgin, and when I said yes, he further demanded that I remain a virgin until our marriage. We were all shocked—celibacy was _never_ a requirement among our people, at least, not within memory.”

Sharmila broke in then, saying, “A word of explanation about our customs regarding love, marriage, and childbearing might be helpful, Avani, since they are sure to differ from the customs here.” She looked at me, then glanced over at Arthur and Dylas, who were both rapt, then back to me. “You see, our forefathers were barbaric, violent, and obsessed with increasing their numbers. As a result, rape became so commonplace, it was practically a pastime. In order to aid the beleaguered women of the tribe, the seers developed a way to control our fertility by will alone, which in time became innate. In other words, a woman of our people can only become pregnant when she chooses. This power evened the scales, so to speak, and the men quickly began to treat their women with respect—those who failed to do so rarely succeeded in reproducing, and so the more violent family lines died out.

“However, marriages to this day continue to be arranged and occasionally even forced—as in Avani’s case. Marriage is seen as a way to continue bloodlines and to combine abilities in the hopes of concentrating and enhancing them. Some marriages are more fortunate, and both parties either learn to love each other or occasionally, as with Rishi and me, two lovers might even be permitted to marry. However, most marriages are little more than breeding contracts. Love is seen as an entirely unrelated concept from marriage.

“Because of this separation of love and marriage, pre-marital and extra-marital relations are not considered taboo or even frowned upon. They are, in fact, considered an important aspect of our lives, providing for our emotional needs in ways that marriage usually cannot. On the other hand, since women are able to control childbearing to such an extent, giving birth to a child fathered by anyone other than one’s husband is _strictly_ taboo, and on the very, very rare occasions when it has been confirmed, it has resulted in the banishment of both the mother and her illegitimate child from the tribe.”

“So… you could fool around with anyone as much as you wanted, married or not, as long as you didn’t have kids outside of marriage?” Dylas asked, frowning as he tried to understand the concept.

Sharmila nodded. “Yes, that’s right. So his demand that Avani remain a virgin until her wedding night was highly unusual, and to most of our people, entirely unreasonable.”

Avani picked up her narrative again then. “But he promised to recompense _my father_ with an increased bride-price, the remainder of which he would pay after confirming that I was indeed still intact. My father didn’t approve of my growing interest in Sundara, whom he considered inferior to my fiancé, so he readily agreed—knowing that would keep us apart to some degree, at least for a time.

“That wasn’t enough for him, though. Afterwards, after Sundara left in defeat, he followed me outside and cornered me in my stable. He said that I _belonged_ to him, and that he expected me to abide by his wishes. Because, he said, if I _didn’t_ ….” Her pupils suddenly and rapidly dilated, her eyes nearly black as she was gripped with the remembered terror of that threat, and she began to shiver uncontrollably. I knelt next to her, alarmed by the sudden change in her demeanor and attempting to soothe her, while Chanda jumped up, nearly colliding with Dylas as they both darted towards Avani.

Arthur stood and cleared his throat, concerned but calm, as always. “Perhaps we should take a break. I see that it is nearly midday; let’s all go to Porcoline’s for lunch, and our guests can meet some of the townsfolk, if they would care to do so? Then once Avani has had a chance to recover, we can continue.”

Rishi and Sharmila agreed, and Chanda merely shrugged indifferently from where she knelt on Avani’s other side, unable to take her worried eyes off her long enough to respond properly. “Go on ahead, and we’ll join you there shortly,” I said to Arthur, who nodded in response. He took Dylas by the elbow, and Sharmila took Rishi’s arm and nudged Chanda along as they departed, leaving by the front door to take the longer route, giving us a little more time.

Once we were alone, Avani looked up at me with tears in her eyes. “He… he threatened to kill Sundara if I… if I didn’t….” And then she threw her arms around my neck and sobbed as I held her tightly, wondering what manner of being she had been bound to—and whether those bonds held her still.


	62. Chapter 62

When we arrived at Porcoline’s, Avani and I found Arthur, Dylas, and her brother and friends at the center of a good-sized crowd of curious townsfolk. Although Rishi and Sharmila looked as though they were enjoying themselves, Chanda looked every bit as uncomfortable as Dylas at the unsolicited attention.

The crowd parted as we approached, and I saw that the seats that had been intended for us were occupied by Amber, who was eagerly asking Chanda all sorts of questions about the flowers and animals in the southern ranges, to the latter’s obvious discomfiture, and by Kiel, who was happily discussing tribal legends and lore with Rishi.

Of our companions, Arthur was the first to notice our arrival, and he quickly rose to greet us. Kiel immediately jumped up, then when Amber remained oblivious, he nudged her hard to draw her attention to our arrival. After a moment of looking around in confusion, she giggled and hopped up, moving out of our way. Avani and I sat in the recently vacated seats, and the crowd slowly dispersed, giving us more privacy.

“So this is your new home,” Rishi said, smiling. “I can see the attraction. The people here are very welcoming, though I admit I had some initial doubts after our reception.”

“My apologies,” Arthur said, “but to be fair, it isn’t every day that a trio of strangers simply… _materializes_ in the middle of the street.”

Rishi looked surprise. “You mean, you cannot teleport?”

“Only in a very restricted fashion. We have a spell that enables us to return to Selphia, or to the nearest pre-determined, secure location to the town, from wherever we are. But we can’t go just _anywhere_ —only to or towards the town gates, or from the gates to our homes. So you see, it is rather limited in scope. Most transportation here is done either via airship, on a mount, or on foot.”

“I see,” Rishi said, thoughtfully. “That is one of our most fundamental spells, so I just took it for granted that others outside the tribe would have something similar. We have a spell that allows us to teleport to any location that we can visualize. So we can’t go anywhere that we haven’t already been, or that has suffered significant alteration since our last visit—the spell simply fails in that instance. We can take anything or anyone that is in contact with us when we cast it, as well. Since we are a primarily agrarian society, it was developed as a means of traveling to and from our more distant fields.”

“But you’ve never been here before,” Dylas interjected with a frown. “So how could you teleport here when you’d never seen the town?”

Rishi smiled again, saying, “Ahh, but I _had_ seen it before—through Avani’s eyes. I checked in on her from time to time, to make sure she was still alive and well—and because I missed her so much. The street adjacent to your airship dock was one of the sights I’d seen most often. I didn’t want to appear suddenly in her quarters, as I feared that would be a shock to her, so the street seemed like a wiser choice.”

“Interesting,” Arthur mused. “A spell like that could be quite useful. Or, it could be terribly abused. I suspect that is the case with much of your magic. One of these days, I should very much like to sit with you and Sharmila, both of you, and learn more of your tribe’s ways. You say you live in the foothills and mountains to the south? I wonder whether your village lies entirely within the borders of Norad, or if you cross the border into the Kingdom of Roland?”

“I believe I can help you with that,” Sharmila spoke up. “Our shrine is the repository of our history and knowledge, barring specifically vocational information, such as pertains to the Avanani, for example. However, I will need to absent myself for a few hours sometime today—I need to return to the temple to check on Pavitra, whom I left in her mother’s care.”

“Pavitra?” Avani asked, curiously.

“The new Maiden. Do you remember quiet little Tuhina? She married shortly before you left. Pavitra is her second child. She just finished weaning near the end of winter and was handed over to my care. But it was agreed that I needed to accompany Rishi, so her mother is caring for her again in my absence. I promised that I would check in on her every day or so, though.”

“Tuhina has children already?” Avani asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

“Yes, a son, Nada, and Pavitra, and she just learned that another is on the way—which is why I promised to check in on her often. She suffers greatly from the early sickness, more than most women. I believe that she will choose not to have more children after this one, if I’m not greatly mistaken.”

“It sounds like there’s a lot to catch up on. The changes with the seers and Tuhina’s children… I’m sure there must be other births and deaths and marriages, too.” Avani said, a little wistfully. Then, with a faint glimmer of hope, she said, “I don’t suppose….”

Anticipating her question, Sharmila sadly shook her head. “No. He still lives, as far as I know.”

“As far as you know?” Avani replied, bewildered.

Sharmila looked over at her husband, then Chanda, hesitating. Rishi looked towards Avani, and replied, slowly, “He seems to have… well, disappeared. No one had seen him for at least two days before we departed.”

* * *

 

After our meal, we returned to the castle to continue our discussion. Resuming the same seats as before, Sharmila glanced at Avani and asked, “Shall I take over for you?”

But Avani shook her head, replying, “No. Thank you, Sharmila, but I think I should tell it myself. After all, it’s my story, for the most part.”

Settling herself as comfortably as she could, she looked up at me apprehensively before she picked up the thread of her story. I stroked her hair to soothe her, though as I recalled where she had left off, I found it difficult to smile or to reassure her. After all, _she_ knew what lay ahead, whereas I did not.

She closed her eyes and thought for a moment before she began to speak. “As I was saying earlier… he threatened to kill Sundara if I failed to preserve my virginity until our marriage. Naturally, I was horrified by his threat, yet I had no doubt that he was prepared to follow through with it. After all, he was twenty-eight and powerfully built, one of the few Ventuani trained in the martial arts, while Sundara was eighteen and trained only in music, not fighting.

“I never told Sundara—or anyone, until now—of that threat. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him, and I felt certain my father would side with… would side against us, so I didn’t see any point in telling him. I… I did tell Sundara that I had to obey my father’s and fiancé’s wishes, and while I think he was disappointed, he didn’t pressure me, either. So we continued in a strange limbo for the next two years—more than friends, but less than lovers.

“Then… then the day of our eighteenth birthday arrived. On that day, I was officially given the title of the Dragon Knight and Rishi of Dragon Priest, and our formal education was complete. My wedding was to take place three days later.”

She was clearly distraught by this point, though, and choked up, unable to speak. I looked over at Arthur, who then whispered to Dylas. Dylas nodded and hurried off to the kitchen, and several minutes later returned with a tray holding several cups and a pot of the soothing herbal tea known simply as ‘relax tea’ that was so popular with the townsfolk. Arthur poured cups for everyone, and since Avani’s hands were trembling, I carefully held the cup for her as she took a tiny sip. After drinking a little of the hot drink, she relaxed enough to take the cup from me, murmuring her thanks to us.

We waited while she sipped her tea and composed herself. She finished her cup, then she looked at me. “Leo, would you… would you mind making a fire? I know it’s a nice day, but… I feel terribly cold. And this next part that’s coming up… it’s not going to be easy for me to talk about. So if you’ll all excuse me for a minute, I want Baldur. I find him… well, comforting to hold on to.” Then she rose and left through her back door.

“Baldur?” Chanda asked with a scowl. “Who’s _he_?”

I gave her a half smile as I knelt before the fireplace, placing kindling. “That’s her tame silver wolf. He’s her especial pet, and he’s helped her through some rough times. He’s like a big living stuffed animal for her, I suppose.”

Rishi smiled, a genuine smile as if born of some pleasant thought. “She’s always had a way with animals. I remember when she captured a wild mountain wolf puppy and trained it to help me get around more easily, without having to depend on others. She named him Star, because she found him under a wild starfruit tree in the forest, apparently abandoned and with an injured leg. Our father was livid, but she did an incredible job—he was perfectly trained, even though she was just a small child at the time. She hadn’t even begun her formal training yet—it was pure, raw, innate talent.”

Avani returned just then, and the other two women gasped at the sight of the massive wolf with his gleaming, metallic silver coat and vivid cobalt blue eyes as he paced silently at her heel. He stopped at the door, pausing to sniff the air, then he swung his huge head around to gaze at the three visitors. After giving him a moment to examine the new scents, Avani brought him over to meet her guests. She solemnly introduced each of them to her pet, assuring him each time that the newcomers were friends. He seemed to remain slightly guarded with both women, but, perhaps recognizing the scent of familiar blood, he immediately took to Rishi as if he’d known him all his life, wagging his tail joyfully and licking his hands and face as he whimpered and whined.

Startled by his enthusiastic reception of her twin, Avani called him off and led him to the thick rug before the hearth. She instructed Baldur to sit, then she awkwardly lowered herself to the floor next to him, putting her arms around his neck as she leaned against him and closed her eyes. I hesitated for a moment, then sat next to her on the floor. Dylas sat in the empty chair nearby, and again we waited. She sighed, eyes still closed, and picked up where she had left off.

* * *

 

“Weddings in our tribe were terribly important ceremonial occasions, and as such, required a lot of preparation. At a minimum, a wedding took an entire day; mine lasted two. The first day was the ceremony itself, followed by the wedding feast, then the… the wedding night. The second day was devoted to celebrating the marriage, particularly the consummation. We took no wedding journey or honeymoon—it was back to business as usual once the feasting was finished. But newlywed couples were generally excused from the civic duties we all shared, such as tending communal fields and fruit trees, either for the first year or until the bride became pregnant—whichever came first.

“I don’t know what preparations the men had to make before marriage, but I found the bride’s preparations to be incredibly tedious. Perhaps if I’d been marrying someone else…. My mother and kinswomen began to prepare me on my birthday. Chanda wasn’t permitted to help, even though she was my dear friend, just because of that stupid superstition. I had to beg and plead just to get permission for her to be at the wedding at all. Anyway, that first day, I was painted all over with various symbols and designs using a thick paste made from some root that stained my skin dark brown. I couldn’t do anything after that—I was forbidden to touch anything or even to bathe until the paste had had time to soak into my skin and dry completely. So the next day, I essentially did nothing, just sat around feeling like an idiot while the final touches were placed on my outfit and the foods for the feast were prepared. There was even more fuss than usual, because I was the Princess and because _his_ family was also very high-ranking in the tribal hierarchy.

“On the third day, I was bathed. And do I ever mean _bathed_. The same women that had painted me took me to a pool of clear water hidden away deep in the forest, fed by a small waterfall at one end, where they stripped me down and bathed and scrubbed me until I was spotless—all except for the painted symbols, that is, which didn’t wash away for weeks afterwards. They scrubbed me and my hair, then made me stand under the waterfall to wash away all the soap, then they repeated the process for a total of three scrubbings and dousings. After that, they dried me and rubbed oils scented of flowers into my skin and hair. Then they braided my hair into an elaborate design, weaving in strings of pearls. All this took the entire day, and when they were finished, I was put to bed and told to rest well, with a good bit of giggling and innuendo about the following night.” She shuddered at the memory and paused to bury her face in Baldur’s shaggy coat, breathing deeply, then resumed her tale.

“I thought about running away. I’d rejected the idea before, because I knew that would dishonor my family—and while I didn’t care about what effect it had on my father, I didn’t want my mother or Rishi to suffer for my actions. And also, I knew… I knew that _he_ would just hunt me down if I ran away from him. By that night, though, I was desperate. But I discovered that my father had anticipated trouble and set a guard outside the door and windows of my room, just to be safe. So I was trapped.

“Morning finally dawned, and my mother fetched me from my prison. It was traditional for a bride to break her fast with only her family, as it was the last time she would still be considered a daughter of that house—after marriage, she would be the matron of another’s house. I have no idea what was served to me—I don’t even recall if I ate, though I’m sure if I didn’t, my mother would have compelled me to eat or drink something. And then the other women arrived, and I was taken away to be dressed.

“Wedding finery was typically given to a bride as a gift from her new family. My fiancé’s family was both wealthy—by our standards, at least—and very conscious of status. So my dress was ridiculous in its extravagance. My fiancé’s mother had made it herself, and she was known for her sewing skills, particularly her embroidery, which was considered exquisite. She had spared no pains on my dress, which was solidly embroidered with symbols of fertility, good fortune, long life, and so on, as well as family emblems and fanciful designs.

“The actual ceremony at which I was bound to my new husband was surprisingly short, and took place only before our parents, the two elder seers, and two unrelated witnesses for each family. The binding ceremony does not ask for, nor require, consent—or I would have objected right then and there. Instead, it’s the parents of the bride and groom who do all the talking. The nearest thing to consent is that the groom must place a ring on the bride’s finger—but her hand can be held by her father against her will, I discovered.

“Afterwards, the remainder of the afternoon and evening were spent feasting and dancing and so on, really not much more than a big party. Probably the worst thing about the feast was that Sundara… Sundara was instructed to play the music. You can imagine how that felt to us… it was horrible. I couldn’t even look at him, the pain was so keen.

“Then when our families decided that it was high time for us to head off and… and get down to business, the women dragged me away, this time to my new home, where I would be alone with my new husband for the first time. His father had died several years before, and his mother had chosen to go live with her recently-widowed and childless sister upon our marriage. She had moved the last of her possessions the day before the wedding.

“I was stripped down and shoved into the bed, which had been decorated with still more symbols—some of them grotesquely obscene. Then, giggling, they left me alone, keeping guard until… until _he_ arrived.”

She blanched then, looking ill as she paused. “Then he… then he….” She stopped, breathing hard as her pupils dilated, and clung tightly to Baldur as she buried her face in his fur.

“What is it? What happened, My Lady?” I asked, though I felt a keen sense of dread in the pit of my stomach.

Rishi choked back a sob, startling everyone, and we turned to look at him. He had tears spilling from his eyes, and he stammered, “He… he…” but was also unable to continue.

Sharmila looked between sister and brother, her brow creased with distress, then she looked me in the eyes, her own filled with pain. Her voice breaking with sorrow, she said, “He came to her on their wedding night, and… and he raped her, Leon. She was a virgin bride, as he had required, and he took her—repeatedly, violently, and without mercy.”


	63. Chapter 63

Dylas, Chanda, and I all jumped up at once, Dylas shouting “What the _fuck_?” while Chanda let out a prolonged stream of foreign-sounding profanity. But before I could say anything, Avani scrambled to her feet with surprising speed and darted out the back door. I chased after her, catching up to her just as she leaned over the fence and vomited. When she was done, she stood clinging to the fencepost for a moment, silent except for the sound of her ragged breathing, then still without a word, she turned to me and leaned her head against my chest. I could feel the tears as they ran down her cheek to my bare skin, and she trembled beneath my hands.

“My Lady?” I said, soothingly, as I stroked her hair. “You needn’t continue if it distresses you so much. It’s _your_ story to tell—or not, as you and you alone choose.”

She continued staring at the ground, pale and stricken. “Do… do you even _want_ to know more? Or have you heard enough about… about my past?”

I hesitated, uncertain how to answer. I _did_ want to know more—I wanted to know all there was to know about this delightful enigma whose destiny was so interwoven with my own. But only if she told me willingly—I had no desire to pressure her for more than she was prepared to divulge.

Wrapping her arms around my waist and pressing her still-wet cheek against my chest, she whispered, “It’s all right, Leo. Just tell me honestly. That’s all I ever want, honesty. Whatever… whatever it is you want to say, whatever it is you’re thinking about me right now… I’ll understand.”

I paused for only split-second longer, then put my arms around her and replied in a low voice, for her and her alone to hear, “Then, my love, I want to know everything about you—the good, the bad, the silly, the serious… _everything_. But only when and if you are ready to tell me. I never want you to feel coerced again.”

At my reply, she gripped me tightly, trying and failing to choke back a sob. Then she relaxed, and turning her face to press her forehead against me, she said, laughing shakily, “You always seem to know just exactly what I need to hear, Leo.” Then she looked up at me, her smile like a ray of sunshine breaking through the storm clouds, and she led me back in.

* * *

 

Avoiding the others’ eyes as she resumed her seat on the rug, she again wrapped her arms around Baldur, leaning into his soft fur as he whined and licked her, sensing her distress. I sat down close to her, put my arm around her, and waited.

Dylas, still standing, spoke first, his face and voice both shocked and disbelieving. “I don’t get it. Why… why did you let him get away with that? That’s not like you at all! Why didn’t you kill him, or at least give him a good beating? Or use that… that teleport spell thing to get away? Why didn’t you—”

Before he could say another word, though, Baldur slowly rose to his feet, hackles raised, and growled a low, menacing snarl at the startled young man. Avani, looking as surprised as everyone else, murmured soothingly to the wolf as she pulled him back down. He lay, reluctantly, but placed himself between the two of them as he continued to stare fixedly at Dylas, a barely-audible growl still escaping his throat.

Chanda recovered first, turning to glare at Dylas. “Who the hell do you think you are, anyway, talking to her like that? I don’t know what her reasons are, but I know her well enough to know they have to be damn good ones. I didn’t even _know_ … she never said anything to me, or I-I would have—”

“That’s precisely why she _didn’t_ tell you, Chanda,” Rishi interrupted. “She didn’t tell _anyone_ what he put her through. Only… only _I_ knew….” His voice trailed off, and I realized with shock what he was implying.

Apparently Chanda caught on, too, as her face turned white. “You mean… you mean that you….”

Sharmila nodded. “Yes, Rishi was… was there. He didn’t yet know how to cut off communications with her, since no one knew about their link. He… saw, heard, felt… _everything_. And he was helpless to do anything to help her. He tried to tell their father, finally confessing to the link between them. His father was too shocked by his admission of telepathy—which he referred to as witchcraft—to even pay attention to what Rishi was trying to tell him. The day after the wedding was over, he sent his son to the temple, to be ‘cured’. That was when we first learned of his ability—and when we began to teach him to control it.”

Rishi looked towards Dylas, saying sadly, “Hindsight is ever perfect, but we are only human. She was helpless against a man of his strength and skill, and she feared he would follow through with his threats—threats against Sundara, against Chanda, and even against me.” Avani looked up at him, startled, and sensing her reaction, he nodded. “Yes, I knew of it. Our link was a constant flow then, but I was only conscious of it if I focused on it or had nothing else occupying my mind. So if I was busy with my lessons, for example, I didn’t notice what you were thinking or saying or doing. But alone in the quiet of the night…. I was horrified and sickened by what he did to you, my love, humiliated by my own helplessness… and disgusted that I wanted so badly to escape it, that I couldn’t find the strength within myself to share your burden. I’d never felt so contemptible….”

Avani rose quickly and went to her brother, putting her arms around him to comfort him. “Shhh, don’t, Rishi. There wasn’t anything you could have done. It was _my_ job to protect _you_ , not the other way around.”

Then she stood, straight and tall, proudly lifting her chin as she looked unflinchingly at her former lover. “You ask me why—why didn’t I do this or that or some other thing, why I just lay down and took his abuse. Well, I’ll tell you why. I did it because the cost of failure was too great. He threatened those I loved most, and if I had ever harbored doubts that he’d follow through with those threats before, those doubts were put to rest before the sun rose. I was a child of eighteen, and although I had completed a decade of combat training, I was no match for his strength and skill.

“You ask why I didn’t fight—I _did_ , with all that I had. But he easily overpowered me and forced himself onto me. _That_ was when he made his threats—hissing them into my ear as he raped me. And he didn’t only threaten them with death—he threatened to… to do other things to them first. All while demonstrating precisely _what_ he’d do to each of them, to make it perfectly clear to me.

“As for the teleport spell—those that learned it usually did so in the final year of their education, when they were old enough to have the wisdom and discernment to use it properly. However, my father forbade my teachers to teach it to me until long after my wedding, sensing that I might use it to escape.

“In a final act of desperation, I went to my father the morning after the wedding was over, the morning after my second night with… with _him_. And I told my father everything he had done to me, hoping that he might annul our marriage—he had that ability, as our leader.

“Instead of showing concern for his own child, though, he berated me. He said that all brides have a rough time the first night or so, all the more if they were virgins. Then he came right out and told me that he didn’t believe me—he thought it was a ruse in order to gain my freedom so I could marry Sundara. He gave me a cold, hard look and reminded me that I was a Princess from a long and proud bloodline, and the new matron of another. He hadn’t raised me to snivel and whine and crumble at the first hint of adversity, he said, but rather to do my duty—just as he’d always done, just as _all_ our family had done for as far back as memory and legend could recall. My _duty_ , he informed me, was to hold my head high, to put up with adversity and disappointment and whatever trials came my way, like the Princess that I was, and to bear my new husband sons so that his line would flourish—since if I did _not_ bear him sons, it would instead die out with him.

“Knowing then that my last hope for rescue had failed, I straightened up, holding my head up as proudly as I could, just as he had commanded me, and I informed him that I would sooner die a thousand deaths than bear a child to that monster to whom he sold me. And then I turned my back on him and walked out the door.”

Dylas looked suitably chastened after her speech, and he quickly sat back down, avoiding her piercing gaze. After staring at him for a moment, Avani sat back down, too, and with a sigh, she leaned against me as I put my arm around her. She closed her eyes in thought for a moment, stroking Baldur’s head as he placed his muzzle on her lap, whining anxiously. Then without opening her eyes, she resumed her story.

* * *

 

“After I left my father’s house, I ran as fast as I could out of town, ignoring everyone who called out to me as I fled for the woods. Once there, I made my way up the mountainside to a precipice that I knew of—I’d often gone there with Sundara, as it had an incredible view across the hills and valleys. And I stood there at the edge, and I steeled myself to walk off the cliff, believing that death was the only escape left to me. But just as I began to step out into the nothingness that awaited me, a hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

“Sundara had seen me fleeing and followed me in concern. I’d been so distraught, I hadn’t noticed him following me. When he realized what I was about to do, he rushed forward and stopped me. He held me tightly, and he asked if it was really so terrible—so unbearable—that I couldn’t face another day.

“I… I _could_ have told him everything then. Maybe I _should_ have told him. But… I didn’t. I was still too raw and ashamed and full of the horror of it all to speak of it. It had been difficult enough to tell my father, and then after the reception I got…. Rape was just _not_ something that happens among my people, so if my own father didn’t believe me, I had no reason to think that anyone _else_ would.

“So I just told him that yes, it was awful, and I couldn’t stand to think of going on like that, living year after year with him. Then he lifted my chin and looked into my eyes, his own filling with sorrow at whatever he saw there. Then he kissed me and said that there was at least one good thing: since I’d fulfilled my husband’s requirement, I was free to seek solace and comfort wherever—and with whomever—I chose, as was customary in our tribe. And so that day, after years of waiting, we finally became lovers.

“That was all that made my life bearable. I stayed away from my new home as much as I could. I cooked meals and cleaned house, but I escaped to the woods as often as I could and stayed away as late as I dared. I tried to avoid rousing his—my husband’s—ire, for fear that he’d take it out on someone other than me. Certainly he did nothing to make life pleasant even when he wasn’t particularly wroth with me.”

Dylas, looking fearful yet determined, spoke up then, much more gently this time. “How… how long did that… how long did he continue…?”

Avani opened her eyes and looked at him, and I could see the tears sparkling in them as she replied, “Every night, often more than once, and some of the days as well, until I left on the journey that brought me here. _Every single night_ … for almost four years.”

Dylas and I both gasped in shock. To be subjected to such treatment for so long… it was incomprehensible to me, that anyone could be so methodically brutal.

“And things got worse with time,” she continued, again closing her eyes. “It didn’t take him long to realize that I was intentionally withholding the children he insisted were his right and my duty. That was one thing that I refused to give in on, no matter what the cost. I would sooner have let the whole village go up in smoke and ashes than bring any child of _his_ into the world. Somehow surmising that I was absolutely inflexible on that one count, he then began a campaign to try to wear me down—to break my spirit, so that I would finally cave in to him. He took great care to heal any… any marks, once he was through for the night.” I felt nauseated at the implication of her words, a convulsive shudder travelling down my spine as I tightened my hold on her.

“He went to my father, too, and complained of my recalcitrance. My father, as always, sided with him against me, telling me that I was failing my duty as a wife, daughter, and princess. When I complained of my treatment, he told me in no uncertain terms that any abuse I suffered was my own fault for my failure to fulfill my duties as I had been taught.

“Next, my husband demanded that I stop seeing Sundara. He had found out about our affair somehow, and although he didn’t really care where my _affections_ lay, as he had none for me, he also didn’t want me to be ‘distracted’ by him. I refused at first, but the abuse became nearly intolerable. Then one day he followed us into the mountains, to that same precipice and he… he….”

I hugged her closer still and looked down at her. “Was _he_ the one, then? The one you told me about, that you couldn’t quite remember at the time, except that you were afraid of him? Was it this so-called husband that killed Sundara?” She nodded, and our guests exclaimed in dismay.

“You mean, he _killed_ Sundara? I thought his death was accidental, that he slipped and fell from a cliff!” Rishi cried, horrified.

Avani shook her head, burying her face in my shoulder as she sobbed, “No, it _wasn’t_ an accident—he… he p-pushed him, and I couldn’t save him. I _had_ him, Rishi, I had him in my hand—but he s-slipped from my grasp.” She wept as I held her, struggling to compose herself, and I barely caught her voice as she repeated in a whisper, “I couldn’t save him….”

Arthur quickly rose and hurried into the kitchen, evidently to make a pot of tea, and perhaps also needing some time to compose himself. The prince was a man of refined sensibilities, and this was certainly no easy tale to hear—nor to tell, I thought to myself, looking down at my distraught wife.


	64. Chapter 64

After a cup of tea, Avani looked a little better but still distressed. Sharmila watched her for a few minutes, as though considering, then stood and said, “I really must return to the village for a little while. Rishi, you should come with me and report to the tribe that Avani has been found alive and well, don’t you think? They need to be told sooner or later.” He nodded, and she turned towards Arthur. “You would be welcome to join us, if you would like to see our village firsthand.”

He bowed, smiling, and said, “I would enjoy that greatly, but first I must determine whether your village lies within our boundaries. If not, I’m afraid I must decline—it would be most irregular for a Prince to cross the border thusly without giving proper notice to both governments. If you can spare the time to come with me to my offices…? Dylas, will you please accompany me? As a Knight of the Realm, your presence will be more than sufficient as the honor guard my father would wish me to take, should I go.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Sure,” Dylas responded, more focused on Avani than on what Arthur was saying, but nevertheless when Arthur rose, he stood as well.

“Certainly, I will do my best to pinpoint our location on your maps,” Sharmila replied, then she turned to Chanda. “Come, Chanda, let’s leave Avani and Leon in peace for a while.” Turning to me, she asked, “Shall we meet back here at the same time tomorrow morning, then?”

I replied, “Maybe a little later. She’s drained from the events of the past couple days, and the extra rest will do her good. Make it 11:00, and I’ll arrange for a lunch to be delivered here.”

Sharmila nodded agreement and led Rishi out the door, Chanda reluctantly following, and they all headed towards Arthur’s rooms, leaving us to ourselves.

* * *

 

We sat in silence for a while, Avani on the floor, leaning against me as I held her in my arms, Baldur by her side with his head on her lap. Shortly after our guests left, Sano and Uno wandered in from wherever they’d hidden away. Baldur even allowed them to share his mistress’s lap—a huge concession on his part. In time, she seemed to relax again, the tension in her shoulders gradually easing.

When at last she spoke, I jumped slightly—startled out of my reverie. “I’m sorry, Leo. All this must be unpleasant for you to listen to—everything with Sundara and with… with _him_.”

I squeezed her shoulders, astonished that she could still concern herself with my sensibilities under the circumstances. “My Lady,” I said, holding her tightly, “any distress I may feel upon hearing your history pales in comparison to the suffering you’ve endured. Please don’t worry about me.” Then I pulled back a little to look into her eyes, hesitant to voice my concern. Finally, I said, “There is one thing I need to know, though. Are you… are you still married to… to that man?”

She stiffened, then slowly nodded. “As far as I know, yes. And I’m sure that if it were otherwise, Rishi would have told me immediately.”

Sighing, I asked, “Then what are we to do? If you are already married to another, then our marriage can’t be valid… can it?”

She drew in closer, shivering despite the warmth of the fire. “I’ll _never_ go back to him. I don’t know what to do, Leo. Maybe Rishi could grant me the annulment that my father denied me? Then we can marry again—just quietly, since we’ve already had a big ceremony. Just something to make it official. If Rishi _can_ grant an annulment, that is….”

“Why wouldn’t he?” I asked in surprise. “He knows what you’ve been through, so he wouldn’t need to be persuaded, as your father apparently did.”

“Yes, but you see, it’s been nearly seven years now. That’s well beyond the customary time restrictions for granting an annulment—one season for an annulment without cause if both parties agree to it, or up to one year with cause and with no requirement for mutual consent.”

“But if he’s the leader—” I began, but she interrupted, shaking her head.

“Even a leader has to obey the laws, and for us, many customs have the force of law, though customs can be changed far more easily than laws, simply by a change in behavior or attitude among the majority of my people.”

“What about divorce?” I asked, furrowing my brow in thought.

Again she shook her head. “We don’t have any provision for divorce. Only annulment.”

I kissed the top of her head, then, and said, “Well, then, My Lady, we’ll just have to make the best of the situation. And if you cannot be legally rid of your first husband, then I’ll just have reconcile myself to a life as your reprobate paramour.”

She giggled, then began to laugh heartily, giving herself up to mirth, and I grinned with relief as the worry and fear that had clouded her eyes for too long finally began to disperse.

* * *

 

Avani went to sleep not long after our guests had departed, saying she wanted sleep more then food, even, which surprised me. Even more to my surprise, she declined breakfast the next morning, asking instead to be allowed to rest a little while longer. I went to ask Volkanon if he would have the butlers see to her chores for now, until she had recovered. He was concerned, since he didn’t know what was going on, but his faith in Avani was sufficient and he agreed to see to it that her farm was cared for until she was again able to resume her duties. Then I hurried over to arrange with Porcoline to send lunch over, and hurried back home.

She finally rose, with some reluctance, just as there was a knock on the door. I hurried to answer the door while she went to splash water on her face. Arthur was absent, and Dylas informed me that he’d left a message that something had come up that might delay him; if so, he’d join us as soon as he could, but we shouldn’t to wait for him. While I went to bring out coffee, the three Ventuani sat together on the sofa and Dylas flung himself into one of the chairs near the embers of the fire. He scowled at the coals as he shifted restlessly, then jumped up and stirred the coals with the poker to revive the flame before throwing a couple of logs on. He sat back down, and took the mug of coffee I handed him, muttering his thanks.

Having finished washing her face, Avani emerged and drowsily greeted the new arrivals. She headed for her wardrobe, tugging her chemise over her head and dropping it on the bed as she passed. Chanda, flushing and looking scandalized, turned and reprimanded Dylas. “What are _you_ staring at?” she exclaimed indignantly. “Close your eyes! There’s a lady dressing!”

Avani called out to her friend as she fastened her bra, “Chanda, calm down! It’s nothing he hasn’t already seen hundreds of times already.”

“What?! What do you mean?”Chanda replied, glaring at Dylas, who glared back at her.

Avani sighed. “We were lovers for a couple of years, Chanda.”

“ _He_ was your lover?” she exclaimed in disbelief. “But what about _him_?” she demanded, scowling and pointing at me where I sat in the other chair. I smiled, amused by her over-the-top display of jealousy.

Avani finished tying her wrap skirt around her belly, then she came and sat on my lap and looked at her friend. “Chanda….” She sighed again, then said, “All right, it’s like this. Dylas arrived the summer of my first year here, and he and I became lovers that fall. Leo joined our community the following summer, and we became lovers the fall after that. Then we married the next summer, the summer of my third year here.”

“Look, I’m no good with math and stuff, everyone knows that. But even _I_ can tell that’s only _one_ year with Horseface there!” Chanda said with a scowl, crossing her arms over her chest as she glared around the room.

Dylas bristled and opened his mouth, but Avani raised a hand to quiet him. Glaring at her old friend, Avani said, sternly, “Chanda, _do_ _not_ tease Dylas, is that clear? He is very important to me, even if we’re no longer lovers. And just as I wouldn’t stand for others picking on _you_ in my presence, neither will I stand for anyone picking on _him_ —and _you_ of all people should know how that feels.” She stared at the younger woman, who flushed red and, after a moment, dropped her gaze.

“Yes, you’re right, the math doesn’t add up, because for a time, Dylas and Leo were _both_ my lovers. It was… an unusual triangle of both love and friendship, and he remains a very dear and important friend to us both. I would be overjoyed it if two of my dearest friends could at least make an effort to get along with each other. You might find you have more in common with each other than you think. And I would love it even more if you could manage to overcome your jealousy and become friends.”

“ _Who’s_ jealous?!” Chanda and Dylas demanded in unison, then looked at each other in surprise before turning red and looking away as Avani laughed merrily.

Then she jumped down from my lap and went to Dylas. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek as he turned scarlet, then she repeated the gesture with Chanda, who likewise blushed deeply. “Listen, I love you both very much, and even if you can’t _love_ each other, please at least try to _like_ each other. Will you do that? For me?” Neither could refuse her, it seemed, and she appeared satisfied with the mumbled capitulations that came from both parties as she returned to my lap, smiling.

Then her face grew serious, and she bit her lip in concentration. “Now… to pick up the story again….” Everyone grew quiet then, as she prepared herself to speak.

* * *

 

“After… after Sundara’s death—after his _murder_ … there isn’t much more to tell. The one thing that made life tolerable had been taken from me, and I had nothing left to comfort me. But if anything, I became even more resolved not to give him children. _Maybe_ they wouldn’t have taken after their father—but I wasn’t willing to take that risk.

“I never told anyone the truth of Sundara’s death, though—not at that time, anyway. Not until I had that dream and remembered…. He threatened me into silence, his threats having more weight then, since he’d finally followed through on one of them. And even if I no longer cared what became of me, I was unwilling to risk any more of my loved ones, except by my refusal to have children. In everything else, I gave in to his demands to try to protect those I loved most. I’d failed Sundara; I couldn’t bear the thought of losing anyone else.

“Life became increasingly difficult for me, though, as time passed and I remained childless. My husband was considered very handsome—beautiful, even—and charming by those who didn’t know him as well as I did. And everyone knew how much it meant to him to have sons. So no one understood why I refused to give him what he so desired, and popular opinion began to turn against me.

“Finally, after almost four years of marriage, my father called me to his chamber. I had barely spoken with him since that morning when he rejected my accusations and I nearly killed myself—which of course he didn’t know. No one but Sundara knew, and he was long since dead….” She paused for a moment, brushing away a few tears that had begun to trickle down her cheeks.

“He called me to see him, and he berated me for my obstinance and disobedience. Then he told me that he thought perhaps a little time apart would be beneficial for us. Or, as he put it—absence makes the heart grow fonder. He told me that he intended to send me on a journey, a sort of diplomatic mission. He then told me what few then knew, that the Earthmates of long, long ago had come to our Avanani and asked them if they knew of any solution to the Ventuswill problem. That is, how to supply her with the strength and longevity that should have been hers by right of birth but that had been denied her due to the diminishment of the world’s runes. They did not know of a way, but they began research that continued for centuries, the strongest of our Avanani collaborating in the utmost secrecy with the most powerful of the Earthmates for generations past.

“It was this joint research that led to the discovery of the Etherlink and Omni Gate spells, and, eventually, to the creation of the rune spheres.” Dylas gasped, and I started in surprise.

“You mean… you—your people—were responsible for the Guardians and for the rune spheres?” I asked, astonished.

“Not entirely. As I said, it was a collaborative effort. It was done in secrecy, because our tribe had no wish to attract the attention of the outside world. At the beginning, there were still some particularly… avid members of the new government, who were determined to wipe out all survivors of our royal line, even though it had been decades since our overthrow. That’s why our people became nomads for a time—we were fleeing those who hunted us. So although we were eager to assist Ventuswill, whom we revered, we also wished to remain hidden. However, that was long, long ago, and after some time, the secrecy became more a matter of custom than actual necessity.

“As I was saying, my father told me all this, then said that at long last, the research was believed to be complete. A way of restoring the massive rune power needed to sustain the life of a Native Dragon had finally been discovered and refined, and the rune spheres were the result. As I was the Dragon Knight of the Ventuani, sworn to serve and protect Ventuswill should the need arise, it was therefore my duty to deliver these spheres to her. He also made it clear that it was solely due to my position that I was given this task, and that I was still very much in disfavor with him.

“He decided that travelling on foot was too risky, given then precious cargo I would be carrying, and we were far from any airship routes. I had not been to any location near to an airship route, and so I could not teleport part of the way—though I had at last been taught that spell, despite my father’s reservations.

“Finally he decided that it would be best if he had another member of the tribe teleport me part of the way to a village, without knowing why I was traveling, of course. From there, I was to complete the journey to town on foot and secure passage on an airship to Selphia. The healer had an assistant, an older man named Bhiru, who often wandered far afield in search of materials for his master. My father instructed him to teleport me near to, but not all the way to, a town with airship service. Then he gave me until morning to prepare myself.

“I told my husband that evening, and he was clearly furious. I think he was certain I would try to use the opportunity to escape him, so he made an especial point of impressing on me what would he would do and to whom if I failed to return to him. It was the worst night I’d had in a long time… when I woke the next morning, I was barely able to walk from the pain, despite his healing spells.

“I met my father first, and he gave me the stones. I secured them in my pack, and went to meet Bhiru. He took hold of me and off we went. We appeared in a strange place, unlike any I’d seen before. It was so much colder, for one thing, and the trees and flowers were so unlike those at home. It was, in fact, not unlike the place where we went for our honeymoon, Leo, though I don’t think it was actually in the vicinity. I don’t think the mountains nearby were quite the same peaks, though it may have been the same range.

“He gave me some landmarks for guidance and pointed me on the path towards the nearest settlement, then he vanished and I was alone in a strange land. Fortunately, he had given good directions, and before the sun set, I found myself in a small village. I was too late to catch an airship that night, but I was pointed towards a small inn and told that the airship would stop the next morning.

“My father had provided some money for the trip, luckily, as I had none of my own. I secured a room and a hot meal, and asked to be awakened early. Then I retired for the night.

“What I didn’t know at the time was that among the patrons in the dining room were a pair of Sechson soldiers. I think, in retrospect, that they’d been instructed to search not only for Earthmates, but in particular for Earthmates from the south traveling to Selphia. They must have overheard me asking about airships to Selphia, and hearing my accent, drew their own conclusions.”

“Your accent?” Dylas asked, looking puzzled. “But you have no accent, not that I can tell anyway.”

“True, I don’t have one now, though I did then. I don’t know why. It disappeared with my memories, but it didn’t return with them.” She shrugged, then continued her narrative.

“Anyway, however they learned of it, they managed to hide away on the airship by the next morning, presumably while the captain and his mate were preoccupied with something. I was the only passenger—the only _known_ passenger, that is. As we approached Selphia, the soldiers burst out of their hiding places and attacked me. I had been well trained, though, and although I had no weapon other than a short sword, I quickly subdued them. Just… not as completely as I had thought. One of them came to while I was looking to see if we were near the town, and he hit me on the head with the grip of his sword, knocking me out. When I awoke, I remembered nothing. Not believing me, they moved to threaten me into disclosing the location of the spheres—and by accident, they knocked me off the airship. The last thing I remember as I fell was someone calling my name.”

She looked at her twin, curiously. “It was you, wasn’t it? You somehow cried out my name in a way that I could hear you, in my head, despite the distance that separated us. You had already seized the opportunity to block my memory, in the hopes of sparing me further torment. But then when I fell, you feared that I really would die, and you screamed my name. Am I right?”

Rishi nodded. “Yes, that’s more or less what happened. I was afraid for you on your first trip so far away from familiar lands, and so I watched with you, knowing I could quickly send you aid if needed. When you were attacked and knocked out, I knew you were unharmed, but I suddenly realized that it was the perfect opportunity to try to save you from… from your husband. I knew how miserable you were, and how some of our people had begun to treat you. I thought that if you had no memory of your home, you couldn’t return, and you could be happy there—here, I mean. I didn’t expect you to fall, of course, and I panicked when you did, thinking that I was really going to lose you, after all. But my terrified reaction actually made it easier to persuade everyone that you had, in fact, died in the fall, even though I knew you hadn’t. I think even _he_ believed me, at least, at first… though it was always impossible to be certain what he was thinking.”

He paused for a moment, then continued. “I… I know you may not care, but… for what it’s worth, our father was devastated by your supposed death. He was never the same after that, especially when I confirmed the abuse that you’d suffered. I don’t think he ever really forgave himself for disbelieving you. But he never said as much either—you know father. He was proud to the end, and could never admit he was wrong or had made a mistake. Mother had no idea of your accusations, of course, and when she learned of them—when she heard me berating father for his treatment of you—she was horrified. She confronted him right then and there, and he admitted the truth of it to her. She just turned white, then turned and left, not saying another word to him. She died that night.”

We were all silent for a little while, then Chanda spoke up. “Avani, what will you do now? Will you return with us to your home? What about your marriages—you _can’t_ have _two_ husbands.”

Avani shook her head. “No, Chanda, this is my home now, and I’m happy here. And I will never— _never_!—return to him.” Her eyes blazed for a moment at the thought, then her expression turned to sorrow. “But… I don’t know what to do. It’s too late for me to get an annulment.”

“Not necessarily,” Rishi said, softly. Everyone turned and stared at him, and he continued. “That was one of the reasons why I came here. Since I’m now the Ra’mara, I can grant you an annulment.”

“But… but how? Our customs dictate that any such petitions may be made only within the first year, and then it’s too late. Even if you’re the Ra’mara, you still have to obey the laws of the people!” she exclaimed.

“I think I can use the fact that you _did_ make a petition within a few days of marriage as a way around that law. It might be difficult, especially since both he and his ambitions are popular with a small but vocal faction of our people. But I think I can do it.”

Just as she opened her mouth to protest, though, we heard a commotion out in the courtyard. We all rose to our feet, and Avani ran out to see what was going on, with the rest of us close behind. We found Arthur running across the courtyard, shouting Avani’s name excitedly. He stopped to catch his breath, nearly doubled over as he gasped for air, and we gathered around him curiously. Still panting, he said, “I… I went to the village yesterday to inspect its location, and it does indeed lie entirely within our borders. So after we returned, I made a trip to the capitol, to verify a few things. I’ve only just returned.” He paused again, taking a few deep breaths and standing up straight.

Before he could continue, though, I heard a strange voice at the gate—a resonant, penetrating voice. Apparently in response to the guard’s query as to his business, he stated, “I have come in search of something that belongs to me.” Feeling a prickling in the hairs on the back of my neck, I quickly stepped between Avani and the gate, just as a man stepped through.

* * *

 

The tall man who approached the us had the muscular build of a powerful warrior. Dressed all in black leather, he was bare-chested like me, wearing only trousers, heavy boots, a long coat open to the waist to expose his broad chest, gauntlets, and platinum pauldrons over his shoulders. Long, silvery-white hair framed his pale golden face and fell down his back, nearly to the hem of his coat. His mouth was sensual, and his luminous green eyes suggested both intelligence and depravity as they briefly met mine as he searched through the crowd. From behind me, Avani gasped, and his eyes immediately flew to her. A broad, sardonic smile spread slowly across his face, and in a deep, haughty voice, he said, “Avani. At last I have run you to earth.”

I looked at her as she stood still, as if frozen. “Who...?”

Without removing her eyes from his, she said quietly, “Leo, this is Bhima kumara Anusa.”

“ _Who_?” I asked, though I felt certain of the answer.

“Her husband,” he growled, fixing his gaze on me as he sized me up.

“Well, isn’t this just cozy?” I said, coldly, “Because, you see, _I’m_ her husband. And I have no intention of giving her up.”

Turning back to Avani with a mirthless grin, he said, “Well, well, who would have thought that my timid little wife had it in her? What’s the matter, Avani? Couldn’t get enough from me? All you had to do was ask, and I would gladly have increased my _efforts_. I was only holding back for _your_ sake. You certainly didn’t need to turn to…” he gestured contemptuously at me, “some half-breed cur.” My ears flattened against my head and I opened my mouth to respond, my eyes narrowing as I glared at him.

Avani put her hand on my arm, saying, “No, Leo. Don’t give him the pleasure of getting under your skin. He’s dangerous and vicious, and he loves nothing more than to provoke people into making rash moves. _I_ know you’re fully human, and so do you. So please, just let it go.” I resisted for a moment, then backed down. I wanted nothing more than to smash that smug grin from his face, but I also didn’t want to get into a fight right then and there, in a courtyard full of innocent bystanders.

Bhima’s grin broadened, as if knowing precisely what my thoughts were. He turned back to Avani, saying, “Still as spineless as ever, I see. How did you find the courage to acquire another plaything, especially after you so carelessly lost your last one? Perhaps _that_ is why you chose a half-breed?” He looked her over, then as his gaze rested on the new roundness of her belly, he scowled and looked back at her face with a harsh look in his eyes. “So, you will bear children for your vulpine lover, but not for your husband? I can see that I will have to… _discipline_ you again—you know our laws. You’ve been a very bad girl, Avani, hiding away from me all these years when you should have been at home, giving _me_ the children that I require of you. Now, come with me, _my_ _wife_. I’m going to give you a lesson you won’t soon forget.”

He reached out to grab her, but I quickly sidestepped, blocking his hand, and again flattening my ears against my skull, I snarled, “Keep your hands off my wife.”

“Tsk, tsk. What a bad dog. Dogs who snap at their betters are liable to get a whipping for their pains, don’t you know that? Ask Avani—she can tell you _all_ about my punishments,” he said. Despite the quiet tone of his voice, I felt the thinly-veiled menace. My hackles raised and a low growl formed in my throat as I prepared to lunge at him.

This time, though, it was Arthur who intervened. Looking Bhima coldly in the eye, he said, “You had best leave the lady alone and be on your way. First, your marriage to Lady Avani is not valid under Norad law, which means her marriage to Sir Leon is her first and _only_ lawful marriage. You have no legal claim to her. Second, you are threatening not one but two honored citizens of the Realm, and if you do not leave immediately, I will have you placed under arrest.”

Bhima drew himself up, glaring balefully at the prince, who returned his gaze steadily, unperturbed by the man who faced him. “And who the hell are _you_ to tell me that my wife— _my_ wife!—belongs to another?”

Without hesitation, Arthur replied, “I am Arthur D. Lawrence, Thirteenth Prince of the Kingdom of Norad and the official hand of the King in this region. Your tribe has not been recognized by the kingdom, and your tribal laws are therefore invalid within our borders. Only a marriage that has been properly documented by the Royal Office of the Registrar is considered legitimate—as is the case with Avani’s and Leon’s marriage. Now, will you leave willingly, or shall I call the guards?”

He face contorted with rage, then suddenly he relaxed slightly and smiled—a malevolent smile that had me quickly running through my spell inventory, trying to decide what would be the most effective and the least harmful to bystanders.

“Whatever you say, _princeling_. Avani, we have unfinished business,” he said turning towards her. In the blink of an eye, his arm shot out and he grabbed her by her throat as he shouted “Vrajati!”, and the two of them vanished from sight.


	65. Chapter 65

I lunged at her, sprang to insert myself between them, to protect her… but my hands closed on empty air. The echo of the spell he’d cast resounded in my head like a curse, and I looked around wildly, hoping to see some sign of Avani. But she was gone.

“Where… where did they go? Where did he take her?” I demanded frantically, turning to Rishi, Sharmila, and Chanda, who were all nearly as stunned as I was.

Sharmila shook her head while Chanda turned and smashed her fist into the castle wall in anger. Arthur was speechless with shock, and Dylas was nearly as frantic as I was. However, Rishi remained silent, apparently deep in concentration, oblivious to Dylas’s vociferous swearing and my rants. After a moment, he turned to me and said, “I cannot see. He must have learned of our telepathic link somehow and has blindfolded her.”

“Is she all right? Is he hurting her? Tell me everything— _any_ thing!” I demanded, grabbing his shoulders.

“She… she is afraid, but not for herself. She fears for your children… and for you. But fear is not foremost in her heart or mind at the moment.”

“Then what _is_?” I asked, frustrated by his slow responses.

“Hatred. Seething, black hatred such as I have never before felt in her. If it consumes her, I don’t know what she may do.”

“But where _is_ she? We have to find her!” I pounded my fist into my hand, infuriated by my helplessness.

After a pause, Sharmila spoke. “He can only teleport to places that he knows. Of course, I don’t know for sure where that might be, but I think if he were seeking someplace he could envision quickly and accurately, it would be in or near our village—the places he knows best. But… I don’t think he’d take her back to their house. He _might_ —but as that would be a logical place to start looking for them, I think he’d pick another place. Though he might still stop there first.”

For once, Dylas stepped up as the level-headed, collected one, and putting a hand on my shoulder, he said, “Come on, let’s prepare ourselves, then we’ll hunt them down. Remember, she’s strong— _you_ know just how strong—and we’ll find her no matter what it takes. Now pull yourself together, man. You can’t be going all to pieces now. She needs you—her and your kids.”

I nodded and straightened up, forcing the rising panic back down. I looked at him and took a deep breath. “All right. Sharmila, can you at least take me to your village and to his house? As you said, it’s a logical starting point for my search. After that….”

“After that, we will assist you however we can to find Avani,” she replied calmly, and I looked at her in surprise. “We love her, too, Leon. And while we may be helpless to fight against… against….”

“Against _Bhima_ ,” Chanda spat, and Sharmila whirled and stared at her, shocked. “For too long we’ve refused to name him, Sharmila. For too long we’ve strengthened him with our fear. No more. I won’t have it. You may be helpless to fight him, but I _will_ fight him, and I will save her, as she once saved me—or I will die trying.”

“And _I_ won’t rest until she’s safe at home,” Dylas added. “She saved me, too, you know, in more ways than I can say, and I sure as hell won’t abandon her when she needs me most.”

Rishi nodded. “Sharmila and I are not fighters. Would that we were…. But we will do what we can to help you find her—then it will be up to _you_ to save her from him.”

“Then, everyone, prepare yourselves for departure. How quickly can you be ready to go?” I asked Sharmila.

“Teleporting in that manner is a tremendous drain on our resources, and I am still fatigued from my travels to and fro yesterday. I need a little time to restore myself before attempting further teleportation. I think I could be ready in as little as three hours.”

I groaned inwardly, but nodded agreement. “15:00 it is, then. We’ll all meet here. Dylas, let’s go get our gear ready. Chanda, are you armed?” She shook her head, and I suggested she come with us to see if we had anything that worked for her in our stores. First, though, I said I’d need to test her, to determine her skills.

“What types of combat are you trained in?” I asked her as the three of us descended to the storeroom.

“Avani trained me herself,” she said with a proud lift of her chin. “She taught me to use a short sword, a long sword, and a spear, as well as in hand-to-hand combat. I think I’m best with my fists or with a long sword.”

Dylas snorted. “Your fists, huh? Well, we’ll see about that—that’s _my_ specialty. And I gotta say, I can’t see someone as small as you managing a long sword very well. You’re even tinier than Avani!”

She stiffened at his skepticism, and I grinned to myself. I don’t know if he was intentionally rubbing her the wrong way, to try to put her off her game, or if he was just being Dylas—either was equally likely. I tossed her a pair of lightweight gloves and a wooden sword, tossed another set of gloves to Dylas, and grabbed a safety lance. “Let’s get to it, kids. We don’t have time to waste arguing.”

We hurried back out to the courtyard, but finding it still swarming with agitated townsfolk, we quickly exited through the gates before we could be stalled by concerned friends. There was a small clearing just west of the town gates, and that was where we headed.

I told Dylas to wait to the side while I started, and told Chanda to choose her weapon. I gave her just a brief instant to make up her mind, than attacked her with my lance.

“Hey, wait!” she yelled in protest, jumping out of the way of my weapon. “I wasn’t ready yet!”

“Do you think your enemy will give you time to plan your best course of action? Do you think he’ll stand patiently and let you have that advantage?” I shouted, whirling and sweeping my lance low, knocking her feet out from under her. “No! He’ll take _every_ advantage he can get, and deny you whatever he may! You need to think fast and act faster—now _on your feet_!”

She scrambled up and crammed the gloves into her belt, then she gripped her practice sword, facing me with flashing eyes. My lips curved into a mirthless grin, and I said, “You finally ready? You think _you_ can take me? Then come and get me… if you can!”

She lunged at me, swinging her practice sword. I jumped to the side, using my lance as a pole to vault past her, then jerking it free from the soft earth, I swung it around, catching her in the back of her head and sending her sprawling. She jumped up and spun around, seething, then crouched and leapt into the air, a feeble imitation of one of Avani’s moves. I quickly raised my lance and used it to block her blow and to shove her away, knocking her onto her back.

I leaned against my lance and looked down at her in amusement, saying, “You say _Avani_ trained _you_? I find that rather difficult to believe.” I looked over to Dylas and nodded, and he strolled over, pulling his gloves on.

Chanda jumped up, throwing her practice sword to the side as she, too, pulled out her gloves. “And why is _that_?” she snarled as she lunged at us, attempting to knock us both down at once.

We jumped easily aside, avoiding her fist, then I whirled around, striking her in the back with my lance. “Because…” I said as she staggered under my blow.

Dylas dove in and knocked her feet out from under her with a sweeping kick. “…Avani…” he said, continuing my words.

Then I swept my lance beneath her, catching her up and flinging her into the air, while Dylas caught her by her legs midair and flung her down onto the ground.

Standing over her as she lay panting, sweat dripping into her eyes as she stared at us in disbelief, we said as with one voice, “…trained _us_.”

We helped her to her feet, still stunned and humiliated by her rapid trouncing. “I-I…” she stammered, her face red.

I patted her on the back. “Don’t sweat it, Chanda. Dylas and I are among the best in Norad, probably second only to Avani herself. And she trained you when she was just a kid, and still in training herself. She’s come a long ways since you last saw her. But… you’d better plan to sit this fight out. I don’t know what… what was his name? Her so-called husband—what _he’s_ capable of, but from the sound of it, he’s someone to be reckoned with. I don’t want you to put yourself—or anyone _else_ —at risk. So I’ll leave you to take care of Avani while I deal with what’s-his-name.”

“You mean while _we_ deal with him,” Dylas said, scowling at me.

“We’ll see,” I said, then turned and headed back to town.

* * *

 

I decided to bring Baldur with us. I knew that if there was any hope of tracking her scent, he would be our best chance at success. My sense of smell was greatly enhanced, but it still paled in comparison to his. After some thought, I also decided to bring the foxes. They might be able to sense her in ways that no one else could, as they were creatures of spirit rather than flesh.

By 15:00, we were gathered together and ready to depart. Arthur offered to accompany us, but I declined—I had no idea what dangers might lie ahead, and I was not willing to have a Prince’s death on my conscience if things went badly.

Looking at Chanda, Sharmila said, “All right, we’ll teleport directly to Bhima’s house, just outside the front door. Are we agreed?” Chanda and Rishi nodded, and Sharmila gave her assignments. “Leon, I’ll take you. Chanda, you take Dylas. Rishi, since Avani’s wolf seems to have taken a liking to you, please take him with you. Leon, your foxes must be on your person or mine, or they will be left behind.” I looked at her in surprise, and she smiled. “Yes, I can sense them—I _am_ a seer, after all.”

Dylas and I put on our armor and grabbed our weapons. Chanda grabbed Dylas’s arm, Rishi held on to Baldur’s collar, and Sharmila linked her arm with mine, holding Sano in her free arm while I held Uno. In unison, the three Ventuani cried out “Vrajati!” and all went black.

Before I could even gasp in shock, I was blinking in the brilliant sunshine of a tropical afternoon. Before me was a good-sized stone house with large glass windows and a door painted crimson. A metal roof with a wide overhang shaded the windows from the intense sun. All around us was nothing but deep, dense forest and lush fields.

It took me a moment to get my bearings, then I raced up the stone steps to the door and flung it open. Bolting inside, the others following close behind, I shouted Avani’s name. There was no reply, though—not a sound. I tore through the rooms, hoping to find her there, but the house was empty.

Sharmila caught up to me, and pulled me back down the stairs and outside. “She’s not here, Leon.”

Numbly, I nodded. “I… I know. I would have caught her scent if she’d been here recently. But I hoped that maybe I was mistaken, that I just somehow overlooked it—there are many smells here that I don’t recognize, and I thought perhaps…. But no.”

We left the house, closing the door behind us. I sank down next to Baldur, and spoke to him. “Well, boy, how about it? Can you find Avani? Where is she, boy? Find her!”

He whimpered and snuffled around, but it was clear that he caught no trace of her scent, and soon he looked at me uncertainly, not knowing where to begin.

I sat on the stone steps and put my head in my hands, thinking. Remembering something a teacher had once said to me, centuries ago, I muttered, “If you wish to know the future, look instead to the past. In order to see with clarity where you are going, you must know where you have been.”

Chanda exclaimed, startled, and we all looked at her. “I… I have an idea. What you just said—about the past and the future—it reminded me of something. Something Avani told me once.”

I jumped up eagerly. “What is it? What do you remember?”

“She… she said that there was a… I guess it was more of a huge rock than a mountain, really, and that there were the ruins of some ancient temple or castle or something on top, and a long stairway carved into the side of the rock. She and Sundara used to go there sometimes, until Bhima followed them there one day. They never returned after that. But I wonder… I mean, that sounds like something he’d do, doesn’t it? Take her off to someplace that used to be special to her and… and….”

“Yes, that sounds like a good place to look. Have you been there? Can you take us there?” Sharmila asked.

Chanda slowly shook her head. “No… but she pointed it out to me—you can see it from quite a ways away. I went to the base once, but I didn’t climb the stairs.”

“Then you at least can get us _that_ far, right?” I asked, hopefully.

“Yes, but….”

“But _what_?” I demanded, impatient at her hesitation.

“Well, just to warn you… it’s a very, very long stairway. I don’t mean we shouldn’t go! I’m just warning you, you’ll be out of breath when you reach the top. So… be careful. You don’t know what will be waiting for you when you get there. And I don’t think your wolf will fit—the stairway is too narrow. He’ll have to wait at the bottom, or else stay in the village, though I don’t know who would take him.”

“If I tell him to stay, he’ll stay. Let’s _go_!” We all gathered around Chanda, holding onto her as she placed a hand on Baldur’s neck. Again she incanted the spell, and again all went black for a moment. Then we found ourselves standing before a large rock.

‘Large rock’ is, of course, an understatement, like saying Mount Maya is a hill, or the ocean is a pool of water. It towered above us, a massive column of rock, so large that the entire town of Selphia—including Dragon Lake—could easily have fit on top and still had room to spare. It rose as tall as a mountain, and several paces away from where I stood, I saw narrow stairs carved into the side of the rock, winding their way upward. I ran for the bottom step, instructing Baldur to stay put as I raced off, the others close behind.

I ran up the first several stairs, but a sudden cry from Rishi forced me to turn back. “What is it? What’s wrong?” I asked him impatiently, frowning as I hurried back.

He had collapsed on a stone step, sunk to his knees, his head gripped in his hands as he doubled over. Tears ran down his cheeks and he moaned as if in agony. As she knelt next to him, supporting him, Sharmila looked up at me in dismay. “It’s… he’s been maintaining a link with Avani all this time, in the hope of finding out where she is.”

“Yes? Has he learned something? What is it?” I asked as I stared at them in confusion.

“It’s… it’s Bhima. He… he’s….” She shook her head and looked at me with tear-filled eyes, and I realized with horror what she was trying to say.

Even as we spoke, he was raping my wife.


	66. Chapter 66

I stumbled with the realization, blinded for a moment with shock as I leaned against the cool rock face next to me for support. Then wordlessly, I turned and ran up the steps, not wasting even half a moment to see if the others followed or kept up with me. As I raced up the long stone stairway, my shock began to subside, transmuting into white-hot rage inside me. In less time than I would have thought possible when I first looked up to the top of the towering rock, I reached the last of the stairs.

The top of the rock was more or less flat, and a few scrubby trees and rubble and the ruins of walls and columns crisscrossed the grassy plateau that stretched out before me. As I scanned the field for any sign of them, Sano and Uno materialized at my side.

“Your mate is deeply distressed,” Sano commented. I gritted my teeth and didn’t reply as I continued my search.

“We do not understand why one of your kind would force another to copulate,” Uno helpfully added. “If the primary objective of mating in your species is pleasure, is that not then contrary to the purpose?”

“Some people are worse than monsters,” I snapped, glancing briefly at the pair before returning to my search.

“We do not comprehend your meaning as no monsters of our acquaintance behave in this manner,” Sano said after a slight pause, “but your mate is over there, in the middle of what was once a walled garden.” Both foxes looked towards the southeast, then they disappeared again.

I looked where they indicated, and I saw a flutter of white between the broken fragments of walls. Narrowing my eyes to better focus, I saw them more clearly. He had removed his coat, and his pants were dropped down. He had her bent over a section of ruined wall and was thrusting his hips violently into her, and as I looked, he gave a final powerful thrust, then backed away. He had her hair wrapped around one hand, using it like a leash, and he still gripped her shoulder with the other. He released his hold on her, and she stumbled and slumped down over the wall. I could see then that her hands were bound behind her back, and that she was blindfolded and gagged as well. As he pulled his trousers up and fastened them, I could hear low, deep, vicious laughter even from that distance, but I heard nothing from her.

* * *

 

All this surely took no more than two or three seconds at the most, yet it felt like hours as I watched, aghast and numb with shock. Then my limbs unfroze, and I felt a surge of power flowing through me. Grabbing my glaive and casting my pack aside, I leaped over the wall before me. I sprang over the obstacles in my path, or leaped atop them and catapulted from them. For all my speed, I moved almost soundlessly, his first hint of my approach being the howl of rage I loosed as I leaped down from the crumbling garden wall behind him, prepared to plunge the blade of my glaive through his skull.

His reflexes were swift—nearly as swift as Avani’s—and in one fluid motion, he turned, grabbed his sword from where it rested next to his coat, and swung it around, blocking my blow just as it fell. Then he pushed me back and away from him, and I fell to the ground in a crouch, facing him.

He pressed forward, his teeth bared in a mirthless grin, and snarled, “So the dog has followed its mistress, has it? Beware, cur—I am not known for my kindness to animals.” He swung his heavy blade around, striking the shaft of my glaive with a powerful blow calculated to shatter my weapon.

However, my weapon had been carefully crafted by Avani. It had not been something she’d made for practice, and then given to me afterwards just to avoid waste—she had crafted it especially for me, to fit me perfectly, and of the finest materials she could lay her hands on. It was the pinnacle of her smithing skills to this date, and it was well-made indeed. The finest smiths in the land could have done no better. The shaft held.

This time, _I_ pushed _him_ back—caught off guard by the failure of his blow, he stumbled slightly. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I quickly cast a whirlwind wheel. To my surprise, he leapt with incredible grace, flipping and leaping through the air much as Avani herself did in combat. She was lighter and perhaps a little more graceful, but still, he moved with amazing agility and controlled power. I quickly realized that I had to be careful not to underestimate him—it seemed there was more to him than I had believed. And this was one battle I could not afford to lose.

As the whirlwinds chased my opponent across the field, I heard a cry from behind, glancing briefly in that direction, I saw Chanda and Dylas speeding towards me, jumping over walls as though they were hurdles in a race. Behind them, I could see Sharmila helping Rishi maneuver through the ruins. I shouted back to them, “Go help Avani!” and turned back to my foe, who had dropped into a crouch to avoid a branch flung by the last of the winds.

The whirlwinds had dispersed, and I could see a few bloodied patches where they had caught him or had flung fragments of stone into him. Still, he seemed unperturbed by his injuries as he rose to his feet, moving like a wild cat as he stared into my eyes. But I was no helpless victim to be so easily intimidated, though I was hunted by the leopard himself. I was Leon, once of Leon Karnak, former priest to the Divine Wind, swift and cunning as a fox. And I was mad as hell.

As he moved towards me, slowly raising his sword, I could see Dylas from the corner of my eye, preparing to launch himself into the fray. Without taking my eyes from Bhima, I shouted to him, “Stay out of this! This is _my_ fight!”

“No fucking way!” he protested as he reached my side. “You can’t expect me to just stand back and watch your ass get kicked all over this goddamn rock!”

“You won’t,” I snarled, “Now go—take care of Avani for me!”

Hesitating just a moment, I could hear Chanda’s voice call to him. “Dylas, get your sorry ass back over here and keep out of his way. You’re distracting him! Avani needs our help now—leave Bhima to Leon.”

With a frustrated snort, he turned and left, and I refocused my full attention on my opponent as he approached me. We circled around each other, sizing each other up in a deadly pantomime. He slowly flourished his sword, the brilliant afternoon sun glinting from the watered steel surface of the curved blade. In response, I brandished my fire-imbued glaive, whirling it before me like a crimson vortex. He gave a snort of humorless laughter, then he narrowed his eyes and leaped, like a springing panther, arcing and twisting as he flew at me.

I swung my glaive through the air, connecting with his blade and knocking him to the side. He had anticipated that move, though, and landed with feline reflexes on his feet, whirling and slashing at my unprotected midsection before I could recover. I leaped out of the way, but he still managed to slice across my ribs, leaving a painful gash with his razor-sharp weapon.

From a short distance to the side, I heard Dylas bellow, “ _Idiot_!” before casting a healing spell on me. I don’t know when he learned to do that, as his magic skills were definitely not the best, but I hadn’t time to worry about that now. As the wound closed, Bhima dove in low, spinning and slashing at my legs. I leaped up and back out of the path of his blade, but he sprang up, pressing me as he slashed at me, the long, curving blade slicing through the air a bare gnat’s wing before me as I dodged and quickly backed up away from him.

“You will lose, half-breed,” he growled as he pressed me. “I give no quarter to those who oppose me. And once my sword has sated itself with your blood, your mongrel offspring will follow. The woman is mine and mine alone, and I will brook no interference.”

Unable to see behind me, I collided with a tree, the impact jarring my teeth. Grinning viciously, Bhima dove at me, his blade aimed at my exposed stomach. But he wasn’t the only one capable of both thinking and acting quickly, and I crouched and sprang straight up, my glaive in one hand as I grasped a limb above me with the other, then I spun around on it and let go, flinging up into the air and landing in a crouch balanced on the tree limb over his head.

With a snarl, he changed course, and instead slashed in a circle, perhaps thinking his powerful sword could slice through the tree limb as readily as it could through a man’s flesh. Indeed, it sliced through a good three inches—then it lodged there and would not pull free.

I stood up and aimed my glaive at him, leaping down at him with a shout. He sprang into a back flip and landed on his feet several yards away. He held his hands before him, apparently preparing to cast a spell, so I cast a fire wheel at him as quickly as I could, disrupting his focus as he was forced to leap aside to avoid the spiraling fireballs.

As he was occupied with avoiding the bursts of fire, I darted in, dodging the flames as I dove at him. Once again, he leaped out of my way, but he landed with one foot at the edge of a crevice in the stone. His foot slipped down and trapped him, and as he fell from the force of his momentum, his leg audibly snapped. Bellowing in pain and frustration, he stood again, leaning heavily on his good leg as he faced me, hatred and fury darkening his eyes.

I strode up to him, the point of my glaive leveled and ready to violate his innards, my face contorted with rage. “I warned you to _keep your hands off my wife_ ,” I snarled, then wrenched the weapon back. He stood still, defiant and unafraid, as I prepared to run him through—yes, even if it meant killing him in cold blood as he stood helpless and trapped before me, nevertheless I _would_ kill him. It was the very least he deserved for what he’d done.

* * *

 

As I readied myself to thrust the blade forward and eviscerate him, Avani—freed from her bonds by Dylas and Chanda—shouted “Stop!” Startled by her cry, I checked my attack, stumbling a little as I restrained myself from following through. All eyes turned towards her as she strode towards us, walking straight and tall despite her injuries and the pain she suffered, looking every inch a warrior.

She stepped between my weapon and my quarry, then gently caressed my ears and ran her hand down my cheek. Leaning her forehead against my chest, she whispered, “Please, Leo, don’t do it. I beg of you.”

I looked down at her, astonished by her request. Surely she couldn’t be asking me to let him go? But I hardened my heart and replied, “ _No_. He deserves no less than death, Avani. Even I cannot find any forgiveness for him within me.”

“Please Leo, please—step back,” she said, gently but firmly pushing me backwards away from Bhima. “I won’t let you do this.”

“ _Why_? Why are you stopping me?” I shouted, frustrated and bewildered.

“Because…” she said looking up at me with a sorrowful look in her eyes. She gently stroked my cheek, her fingers trailing down my neck to my shoulder. She gripped my arms tightly for a moment, leaning her forehead against me as she took a deep breath before again gazing up at me, and there was love in her eyes.

Then suddenly her gaze became cold and hard, and she whirled to face the man who had assaulted her time and time again, claiming her as a possession, and she snarled, “Because _I_ will finish him _myself_.” Before anyone could react to this sudden change, she cast a healing spell on herself and the man before her, then she raised her hand up to the sky and shouted, “Virtsati!”

Behind me, Sharmila gasped and Rishi shouted, “Avani, no!” I looked back at them, bewildered by what was happening.

Sharmila ran to me, grabbed my arm, and dragged me back, hissing an explanation. “She has cast a nullification spell. That means that no magic will work within its range until either the spell is used up or until she revokes it. It’s a tremendously powerful spell that neutralizes all magic cast within the affected area for its duration… even healing spells and teleportation spells will not work while it is in effect.”

I understood then—she had effectively neutralized his spell attacks and ensured he could not simply flee, but at great personal cost, as she would not be able to heal herself or be healed by others. Since casting the spell was such a drain on her resources, it left her weakened even before combat began. And since she had healed Bhima, he had a clear advantage over her. Or so I thought.

* * *

 

Everyone else had backed away to the edge of the clearing, although Dylas, too, had to be dragged away, like myself. I saw that Chanda kept a restraining hold on his arm, and saw her say something to him that appeared to shock him, as he turned pale and his eyes and mouth opened wide as he stared at Avani. Turning to Rishi and Sharmila, I said, “I _can’t_ let her do this alone—I have to help her!” I started forward, but Sharmila held my arm firmly.

Pulling me back again, she said, “No. You _must not_ interfere at this point. Look at her—can you not see the difference? If you attempt to interfere now, she will only turn on you, too.” I looked as she pointed, and I saw—her sea green eyes were nearly black, her pale honey-colored skin had likewise darkened to a deep bronze. A strange insignia glowed redly on her forehead.

“She’s consumed with battlelust—a very rare ability among our usually peaceful people, one that has not been seen for a hundred generations or more. And just as sexual lust can only be sated by sexual acts, so can battlelust only be sated by combat. She will fight without ceasing or discrimination until the lust has been satisfied and departed from her—or until she is dead or dying. She cannot be stopped now—to attempt to do so is to die. You, like the rest of us, must await the outcome.”

Bhima had freed his foot by then, and though he limped slightly, it seemed to no longer impede him. The two combatants circled each other, and both moving with feline stealth and lupine cunning, never taking their eyes from the other’s. After completing a few rounds of this sizing up and measuring, Bhima narrowed his eyes and grinned ferally. Without warning, he suddenly lunged at her, attempting to throw her to the ground.

Despite her injuries and her great belly, however, Avani’s reflexes were still lightning-fast. She leapt up and executed a series of back flips, staying just out of her opponents reach as he grabbed for her, snarling, always a second behind her. He closed in on her, seemingly intent on beating her unconscious, yet once again she slipped away. Sliding beneath his arm, she swept her leg underneath him, knocking his feet out from under him. He crashed heavily to the ground with a loud grunt, and she performed a sort of a combination cartwheel and wheel kick, delivering a series of rapid, hard kicks as she spun over his abdomen. He doubled up in pain, then jumped to his feet and whirled around to face her.

He again circled her, apparently reconsidering his original assessment of her abilities. After all, her skills had to have improved exponentially since he’d last seen her. She stood straight, turning to continue facing him but otherwise motionless. Her near-black eyes flashed with an otherworldly emerald light, and she held herself proudly erect, unbowed and unafraid.

Again he charged, apparently having decided that utilizing his advantages in sheer strength and size were his best options for a speedy victory. She remained motionless as he dove at her, howling an animalistic challenge as he lunged. But again, when he flung himself at her to knock her down and pin her beneath him… she wasn’t there. He spun over onto his back, blinking up into the brilliant sunlight. His eyes widened when he saw what we saw—Avani plummeting towards him in a power kick aimed straight for his stomach. He rolled onto his side, but not quite far enough. She landed with a resounding thud on his leg, the force of the impact driving him down into the ground. I heard a cracking sound, and he bellowed like an infuriated bull as she sprang up and away. This time, though, he had better fortune—he whipped a hand out and grabbed her by an ankle before she could get out of range, jerking her to the ground.

Slowly, agonizingly, he rose, dragging himself to his feet, still gripping her leg as she fought to free herself. He raised her up over his head, and with a hoarse shout, flung her down onto her back on the ground, cracking her like a whip. I cried out and tried to leap to her aid, but Rishi and Sharmila both restrained me, gripping my arms tightly as we all focused intently on the battle. Avani lay staring skywards, motionless except for her heaving chest, and I saw blood beginning to spread out from beneath her head, staining the trampled earth.

Bhima stared down at her, grinning maliciously. He knelt down over her, flipping her tattered skirt out of his way, and I realized with horror that he intended to rape her again right there as she lay helpless—possibly _dying_ —in front of us all. Growling in his deep voice as he unfastened his trousers, “You are mine, and mine alone. I will do with you what I please and when I please, and _none_ shall gainsay me.” I struggled against the restraining hands that held me fast, desperate to reach them, to stop his brutal attack. Before I could free myself, he lowered himself over her, positioning himself between her thighs, his broken leg his only impediment. Suddenly, moving faster than _unenhanced_ human eyes could see, Avani was sitting up and slamming her boots up into his chest, sending him flying back.

He crashed into a tree trunk with enough force to crack the lowest limbs. She flew at him, raining kicks and punches upon him with a speed like I’d never seen before. She was a blur of motion, spiraling and somersaulting and flipping through the air like a leaf in a typhoon—like a swallow in flight. Bhima quickly began to wear down, unable to even keep his eyes on her, let alone block her. Her punches had such force that they split his skin in a score of places; her kicks doubly so. He was soon bruised and bleeding all over, tiny rivulets of blood trickling down his back and chest.

After several minutes of unrelenting battering, Bhima was spent and could not take any more. He fell heavily forward onto his hands and knees, panting, blood dripping from his mouth. Avani dropped to the ground and stood before him. He looked everywhere, anywhere but her face, humiliation and defeat in his eyes and a snarl on his bloodied lips.

She stepped up to him and reached down. Grabbing his long, bloodstained white hair in her hand, she yanked his head up, forcing him to look her in the eyes. Then she reached down and dragged him to his feet. She stepped up close to him, her eyes still flashing in spite of her many injuries and the blood that matted her hair and soaked her clothing. She reached up and placed one hand on the back of his neck, caressing his chest with the other. I stiffened as I watched her—I couldn’t imagine what she was thinking, what she was _doing_. She couldn’t possibly….

“Bhima, my so-called husband,” she said in a low voice that sent chills down my spine. “You took me as your bride when I was eighteen and an innocent virgin, violently and repeatedly raping me on my wedding night. You murdered Sundara, my first love, my refuge, although he had done you no wrong, nor committed any crime. You killed him in cold blood before my eyes, and threatened harm to those I loved if I didn’t lie for you to cover your sin. You raped me nightly and often beat me horrifically, all in the hopes of beating me down so that I would cave in to your obsession and bear you sons to further your ambitions. And because rape was nonexistent in our tribe—at least, until _you_ came along—and because you healed the outwards signs of your abuse, my father refused to either believe me or to protect me from you. Only my beloved twin knew even a _fraction_ of my suffering, as he felt your violations as if they were happening to him, and I feared he would go mad.

“Ironically, you never realized how close you came to realizing your ambition. You did manage to get me with child, shortly before you killed Sundara. But then you beat me so severely one night, that you killed your own child.” Bhima drew back, shock and stark rage in his eyes, but she ignored him and continued speaking.

“For what you have done to me, Bhima, I have made you bleed—bleed as I bled every time you forced yourself into me, smiling as I wept in pain and enjoying my deepest anguish and humiliation as if it were nectar. For what you have done to my brother, I have broken your bones, so that you, too, may feel pain and helplessness and shame. But for my Sundara, whom you murdered, and for my beloved Leon and the children I bear, whose lives you also attempted to take, I will only say this to you: May Ventu have mercy on your soul.” She looked up into his eyes, one hand slowly caressing down his cheek, his neck, his chest as she spoke, and finally tracing circles on his abdomen as the other pulled him down almost as if to kiss him, and I saw her lips move as if casting a spell. When his lips were within a mere fingerbreadth of hers, however, her mouth curved into a savage grin. Smashing the palm of her hand against his stomach, she snarled, “Dantasa Haa!”

Sharmila and Rishi shouted in unison, and Bhima’s eyes opened wide in shock and horror. Avani stepped back, and he stumbled forward, falling to the ground at her feet. He retched and gasped, bloody foam streaming from his mouth and nostrils as he clutched his stomach. He contorted in agony, choking on his own blood. I looked at Sharmila and Rishi, their faces horrified, utterly at a loss as to what was happening. Seeing my confusion, Sharmila clutched my arm and said, “Avani canceled the nullification spell—that must have been what she whispered after she commended him to Ventu. Then she… she cast Dantasa Haa inside him.”

“Dan—” I started to ask, unable to take my eyes from the scene before me.

“It’s a spell to summon a pool of strong acid. As with most of our spells, it has a practical, peaceful application—metalworking, in this case. But also as with many of our spells, it _can_ be used offensively—like now, when she cast it directly into him—though it is far from ideal for that purpose. It’s eating him from the inside out, dissolving his flesh and bone—a painful, gruesome death. However, it’s a very powerful spell—summoning spells always take a massive amount of energy—and her resources were already severely drained from casting Virtsati and from combat. I fear….”

Before she could continue, however, Bhima gave one last gurgling moan, a foul mist rising from him as the acid finally consumed him. I turned away, thoroughly sickened by the sight, and saw that I was not alone. Nearly every observer looked ill or was retching—Avani only stood unaffected, watching her tormentor die his horrible death. A moment later, and there was nothing remaining—he had been entirely consumed, and all that remained where he had met his end was a small, crescent-shaped amulet on a chain.

Avani turned and faced us, and as we looked at her, she again transformed. The blackness left her eyes, returning them to their beautiful sea green, and her skin faded to its normal shade of pale golden honey. The red mark on her forehead flared up brilliantly and vanished, leaving no trace behind. She took a shaky step towards me… then she crumpled to the ground as her twin wailed her name and sank to his knees.


	67. Chapter 67

As Sharmila knelt next to her prostrated husband, I leaped forward, no longer restrained, and dropped to the ground next to Avani where she had collapsed. I rolled her over onto her back; she was completely limp, like a rag doll. Her eyelids slipped open, and her eyes stared, blank and empty, at the sky above. Her chest was lifeless—no movement disturbed the stillness, no heartbeat broke the silence. I shouted her name and shook her, then flung myself across her and wept. To have come so far, to have suffered so much with her, only to lose her in the end… it was more than I could bear, and I howled in my grief.

With a flash of pale light, Sano and Uno appeared at her side, opposite to me. They set their forepaws on her chest, then Sano licked her face with a little whimper while Uno nuzzled my head with his nose. I sat up and looked at them, and they stood gazing solemnly at me for a moment… then they dove down _into_ her, vanishing from sight. I gasped and scrambled to my feet, just as Sharmila stammered, “Y-your foxes!” I knelt again by her side, stunned, and stared where they had disappeared.

* * *

 

_Avani looked around, bewildered by the sudden change of scenery. She struggled to remember—who she was, where she was, why she was there. The name ‘Avani’ rang in her ears… it sounded familiar, then she recalled that was_ her _name. With that, a few more memories returned: a brother, Rishi, and the names Sundara, Dylas, and Leon all came to mind—lovers, she thought, after thinking for a few moments._

_She felt a slight tugging sensation in her hands and looked down at them. There was a tiny hand clasped in each of hers, belonging to two small children on either side of her: a boy to her left and a girl to her right. They looked up at her fearfully, but though they seemed to recognize her, she didn’t know them._

_“Mama?” the girl said, again tugging at her hand. “Mama, I’m scared. I want to go back.”_

_Apparently she was a mother? Then she remembered a little more—Leon was her husband, and they were going to have twin babies. But then why were they here with her in this strange, grey, silent place? And where was Leon?_

* * *

 

_Sano and Uno sniffed the stagnant air. The denizens here had no need of fresh air, they knew, but they still found it unpleasant after spending so long in the realm of the living. And there was no wind, which made tracking by scent difficult. But they were no ordinary foxes, and soon they detected the faintest trace of a familiar smell. They turned towards it and set off at a steady lope, pausing to sniff again now and then to be sure they remained on the right track._

* * *

 

_A formless shade, a puddle of not-light hidden beneath a grey snag in the monochromatic terrain—that’s all it was. Yet it radiated hate and malevolence and thwarted ambition as it expanded and contracted, seeking_ something _, loose tendrils of shadow flicking out as if tasting the air like serpents’ tongues._

* * *

 

_The children crowded against her, clinging to her as they examined the strangeness around them with round, frightened eyes. She wanted to comfort them, but she didn’t know how—she was still trying to figure things out herself. As she stared at a fracture in the earth before her, she remembered another name: Bhima. The name filled her with both terror and triumph, horror and relief._

_Then in a flood of color and sound and light and dark and scents and emotions, she remembered—remembered it all. She was startled by how much she remembered, even recalling the time before her birth, she and Rishi together in a warm, soft place, nothing but the two of them and the soothing sound of their mother’s heart._

_That was when she noticed… her own heart was not beating._

* * *

 

_The scent they followed was very faint, and they traveled far, far, far, losing it many times along the way. Each time, they had to backtrack until they found it again, then continue on carefully. At last, through the unnatural silence, they heard the faint sound of sobbing as from a great distance. Their ears perked up, and in unison, they moved forward at a swift trot towards the sound._

* * *

 

_A tendril of darkness, weaving to and fro as it examined the air around it, detected something—some scent or taste or perhaps the faint vibration of a distant sound. Pulsating as if with excitement, the amorphous blackness changed course and slipped away, sliding quickly over the dusty grey earth._

* * *

 

_“Mama? Mama, why are you crying?” the frightened boy asked, sidling up to the huddled, sobbing figure. Though she wept, her eyes remained dry; though she gasped, no breath passed her lips._

_“Mama, don’t cry, it’ll be okay. Daddy will be here soon, won’t he? He’ll help us, I_ know _he will,” the girl said, putting her hand on Avani’s head. She didn’t understand why that seemed to make her mother cry even harder—she knew the thought made_ her _feel better._

_She still didn’t understand what had happened—why she was in this horrible grey place. She remembered Bhima’s death, and then looking at Leon, and then… and then nothing more until she found herself standing here, alone with the children that should be babies, still growing inside her, not partly grown and standing by her side._

_She didn’t understand what had happened—but she felt sure that_ this _time she had gone beyond Leo’s reach._

* * *

 

_The oozing malevolence sensed its goal ahead, and as it slid soundlessly along the ground, it began to take form, rising up above the ground like smoke. The snaking tendrils gathered, twining together into arms and legs and long pale hair that billowed behind him as he strode rapidly forward. Glowing emerald eyes narrowed as he spotted his prey, and a cruel smile spread across his lips as he bared his teeth, licking his lips in anticipation._

* * *

 

_Their keen eyes spotted the shadow taking form as it approached their target. Momentarily taken aback, the foxes sped forward, racing to intervene. But as fast as they were, it was faster… and nearer._

* * *

 

_“Mama!” the girl shrieked in terror, throwing her arms around Avani’s neck and scrambling backwards. Rising and turning in one swift motion, she saw him—saw her former adversary reaching out for her. She took a step back and tripped as the boy screamed and clung to her legs, falling to the ground as the children buried their faces against her chest._

_Unable to rise, she looked up into the glowing green eyes that stared back at her, full of malice and covetousness. Holding her children tightly to her, she glared defiantly at her assailant, determined to fight to the end, and she realized suddenly that she no longer feared him._

_Before she could set her children aside and rise to face her opponent, though, a brilliant light dazzled in that twilight place, radiating from behind and above the blackness that was Bhima’s spirit. It coalesced into the form of a bird—a large, beautiful, shining bird—as it dove down towards them. A moment later, she realized it was a peacock—a snow-white peacock—and it was attacking the darkness that sought to devour her much as it would attack a snake._

_Bhima flung an arm out to knock it away, snarling at the interloper, but dazzled by the brilliant, luminous shape above, he missed it entirely. The bird extended its claws as it swooped down and snatched him up by his collar, and though he struggled, he had not enough strength in this strange place to free himself as the peacock slowly lifted him up from the ground._

_It struggled with its load, but nevertheless it flew off with it. A short distance away, Avani saw two familiar foxes, their eyes glowing red and blue, racing towards her. The peacock dropped his burden at the feet of the startled pair, then turned and flew away past her, the tips of its feathers just brushing her cheek as it departed, then it again dissociated into formless light and vanished from sight._

* * *

 

As I stared, stunned by the foxes’ actions, Avani suddenly choked and gasped, then her chest began to rise and fall again as she panted for air. I fell backwards in astonishment, then flung myself over her, pressing my ear to her heaving chest. Sure enough, I could now hear a heartbeat—weak and fluttering at first, but quickly growing stronger. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly and weeping thankful tears—I had no idea what had just happened, but I didn’t care. I had my Avani back, and that was all that mattered to me.

Once again there was a flash of light, and once again Sano and Uno appeared by her side, facing me as I raised my head. They looked at me, and Sano spoke—not in my head, this time, but rather with their own voices. From the surprised reactions I could see from Dylas and Chanda out of the corner of my eye, I could tell that they had even taken material form rather than the spirit form they normally preferred.

“Hear us, o human,” Sano said. “We were sent here, the servants of the great Ventu, with instructions from the Master of All to guard and assist you—the first and last Guardian of Ventuswill, the Divine Wind, the manifestation of his will on this plane—as you attempted to save her and restore balance to the runes of this world.”

Then Uno spoke, “We were then told that there would come a time when you and your savior would have need of our assistance, and that we were to remain with you until such a time. We were not told what the need would be, only that we would know it when it came—that it would be a need such as only we could fill it, no other would suffice. And so it came to pass as Ventu said, and your need and hers were great.”

“Being spirits ourselves, we therefore entered into the spirit realm, where we found the wandering soul of your mate, the Lady Avani. Her spirit has been returned to her body, where it belongs, thus also depriving her tormentor his final opportunity for revenge—for even as we sped to her side, his blackened, twisted spirit reached for her, trying to gain ascendancy over her in the spirit world just as his mortal body did on this plane. She is now restored to life; your children, too, are once again safe,” Sano continued.

“Our mission is now fulfilled, and we must return to the one who sent us. Fare you well—we will not forget you, Leon, Lord of the tower Karnak, nor your redoubtable mate. We shall return to dwell within the statues atop the great tower to await such a time when we will once again be called upon to serve our Master. Until we meet again, may Ventu bless and prosper you and your descendants.”

“We also have one final message for the Lady Avani from Ventu, the Creator. Please say to her these words when she awakens: ‘Ventu, the Creator of All, says to you: your petition for mercy on Bhima’s soul… has been denied’.” Then both foxes grinned savagely, licking their lips in a significant manner—and with that, they vanished.

As I looked down at Avani, her eyelids flickered and then opened. I looked into her beautiful sea-green eyes, and my own beloved wife gazed back at me, her tears a reflection of my own. And I sat and held her tightly to me, oblivious to everyone and everything around us.


	68. Chapter 68

I cradled Avani against me, elated by the sound of her heart beating and her breathing and her _warmth_ and the color returning to her face. She clung to me, exhausted and depleted by her ordeal, as glad to rest in my arms as I was to have her there. After a few moments, though, she sat upright with a frantic look in her eyes, exclaiming, “The babies!” She placed her hands against her belly, and then a moment later slumped back against me in relief, evidently feeling some movement from within. I stroked her hair and told her what the foxes had told me, including their final message to her. Her eyes glittered for a moment, hard and cold, then she looked up at me and her gaze softened again.

Meanwhile, the shadows were beginning to lengthen, and it appeared to be late afternoon or early evening. Sharmila glanced up at the sky, then at Avani before she looked at me. “I think we’d best get her to the village. Although Avani has two houses there, I would feel better under the circumstances if you would stay with us instead. Our house has plenty of room everyone,” she said, turning to glance at Dylas to include him in her invitation.

“I’m afraid, too, that we will need to call a meeting of the tribe,” Rishi added. “It can wait until tomorrow, but upon our return, I must inform Kokila of her son’s… demise. And I’m afraid she will want to speak with you, my love—she will not be pleased by this news. I will try to put her off for now, to let you rest….”

Avani shook her head. “No, Rishi. I’ll see her. I will tell her of his death myself.”

I looked up at Sharmila and Rishi, and after a moment, Rishi nodded. “All right, my sister. You may do this thing. But please take Leon with you—I can feel how vulnerable you are at present.”

“I’m coming, too,” Dylas called as he and Chanda headed towards us. “You know… just in case you need me.”

I started to protest, then thought better of it. I’d seen what the son could do—I couldn’t begin to guess what the mother might be like. I nodded my head, then I stood and lifted Avani up in my arms. “Then as soon as you’re ready,” I said, looking at Sharmila.

Chanda closed the gap and joined us, but Dylas stopped and said, “Hang on. There’s something I want to do first.” He strode over to the lone tree where Bhima’s great sword stuck fast, embedded in the large limb. Gripping the hilt in his hands, he gave a loud yell as he pulled with all his might. The sword came free, and he staggered to regain his footing. Then he approached the blighted ground where Bhima had disintegrated not so long ago, and stood glaring down at it, his jaw clenched. Then he raised the sword high above his head and with another shout, he drove the blade down through the center of the black stain and into the rock below. He spat on the cloven earth and muttered, “Too bad you can only die once. A _thousand_ deaths wouldn’t be enough.” Then he joined us, blushing as he became aware of our eyes on him, astonished by his display of pent-up hatred and rage.

Sharmila began to reach out her hand to us in preparation to teleport, when Avani suddenly looked over at her. “Wait… what was that again? What did you say a minute ago? _Two_ houses?”

“Let’s get you back to the village, my love. I’ll explain after you’ve eaten and rested,” Rishi said, tucking his wife’s arm into his. Chanda grabbed Dylas’s arm, and Sharmila put her other hand on my arm. We teleported first to the base of the rock, where Baldur sat in the precise spot where I had told him to stay. When he saw his mistress, he wriggled and writhed and whined and whimpered, remaining obedient to my command despite his eagerness to run to Avani. I set her down next to him, and she knelt, burying her face in his shaggy fur as he squirmed like a puppy in sheer delight. Once the wolf’s raptures had subsided somewhat, we again teleported, this time into the middle of a large patch of green grass in the middle of a village.

I set Avani down on the soft grass and looked around. The village was set on the side of a hill, with lush growth all around. Trees, vines, small gardens full of fruits and vegetables and gorgeous flowers filled in nearly all the spaces between and around the houses. The houses themselves were mostly painted brilliant colors, like jewels set into a richly-embroidered garden tapestry.

Along one side of the expanse of lawn was a large, sprawling house with a huge veranda all around it. Unlike most of the houses, the wood was either stained or painted white. The tiled roof was a deep bronze color, and the steps and veranda were made of dark red terracotta tiles. Flowering vines climbed along one side of the house, a pomegranate shrub poked its branches under overhanging roof, and exuberant hibiscus plants lined the walkway and steps.

It was towards this house that Sharmila and Rishi began to guide us, when suddenly there was a shout and someone called Avani’s name. Turning, we saw a scowling white-haired woman approaching, and I felt Avani stiffen as she looked at her. She let go of my arm and straightened, a cold look in her eyes, and she said, “Kokila.”

“You! You _dare_ to show your face here, and in that… that disgraceful condition?” the woman screeched, gesturing at my wife’s belly. “You know our laws!” Turning to Rishi, she said, “She must be banished—she has broken the taboo and gotten herself with a child fathered by one who is not her husband!”

I started to step forward, by Chanda held me back this time, whispering harshly, “No. Keep out of it. You don’t know our ways. Let _them_ handle her.” I was skeptical, and I could see that Dylas shared my misgivings, but the two of us kept quiet and waited to see what happened.

Rishi turned towards the elderly woman, his face serene as usual, and replied, “No, Kokila. She has had amnesia. She forgot everything that had occurred—her entire life—up to that point. Laws broken in ignorance of our customs may be forgiven, at the Ra’mara’s discretion.”

She spat on the grass at Avani’s feet. “And of course you’d never banish your own sister, would you?” she said, spitefully, before turning again to Avani. “And what of my son? Where is he? _He’s_ your husband, you little harlot, not this… this….” She looked me up and down, as if at a loss to find a suitably derogatory term for me.

Avani stepped forward, confronting the old woman. “Bhima is dead, Kokila. I killed him with my own hands, to protect myself and my unborn children from him.”

Kokila stared at her with horrified eyes. She put her hands over her mouth, shaking her head in denial as she backed a few steps away. “No…. No, you lie! You—you killed him in cold blood! I know you did! Bhima was too mighty to be defeated by the likes of _you_ without trickery and deceit!” She pointed a shaking finger at her, accusingly, and her eyes went from shock to fury. “I demand a blood price from you! A blood price! For my son, whom you murdered!”

Avani’s face contorted with rage in the face of her former mother-in-law’s accusations. She stepped up closer to the old woman, whose anger suddenly turned to fear as she looked into the younger woman’s eyes. “You want a blood price, do you, Kokila? Fine. Our customs require a payment of a blood price, either monetary or in like kind—an eye for an eye, a leg for a leg, blood for blood. Here, then, is the blood price for your misbegotten son!” With that, she reached down beneath her skirt, and when she withdrew her hand, I saw her fingers covered in a mixture of blood and… and _more_. She smeared a streak of this mixture on the horrified woman’s face, down her cheek and neck and to the neckline of her dress. “My blood, spilled by your son and mixed with his foul seed _when he raped me_ atop the Rock of the Mahapura! Take it—take it as your due!”

The old woman gasped, shocked and disbelieving. “No… you lie! Bhima was _perfect_ , exactly like his father before him!”

Avani narrowed her eyes as she glared at her. “Bhima’s father died before my birth, Kokila, but from what I’ve heard, he was _nothing_ like his son. Neither in disposition, nor in appear—” She stopped short and stared at the woman, her mouth agape. After a moment, she said, “You— _you_ broke our taboo! Your husband wasn’t Bhima’s father, was he? Some other man was! Did _Bhima_ know, or merely suspect?”

“No! He knew _nothing_!” Kokila clamped her hand over her mouth and turned grey as she realized her unintentional confession.

“Oh, I think he did, Kokila,” Avani said, icily. “Now I understand why he insisted that I stay away from Sundara, and his comments about ‘raising the cuckoo’s chick’. He was speaking of his own father—and of you!”

Kokila straightened up, and looked at Rishi. “And what are you going to do about it? Banish me? A feeble, old woman? And with no evidence?”

Rishi replied, his face still serene, though his voice had a new, harsh tone to it. “No, Kokila, I do not intend to banish you. Not because you don’t deserve it, in accordance with our laws, nor because of your age. I will not banish you, because it’s time to put an end to that and many other customs. Such thinking has no place among our people—not anymore. Those old, hidebound attitudes are what caused my sister to live in such agony for so long—and who knows how many others have suffered for them, too. Now that I am the Ra’mara, I intend to do what my father could not—or _would_ not—do: bring us out of hiding and rejoin the world around us.”

Then he turned his back on her, leaving her speechless on the lawn as he led us into his house. As he reached the first step, he turned back towards her, and said, “By the way, I consider that to have been _more_ than adequate payment for your son’s life—especially since no payment was due to you in the first place. Bhima’s property belongs to Avani now, so you will not be permitted to return to his house tonight. You may come and remove any of your possessions under my sister’s oversight at _her_ earliest convenience. Until then, it will be locked and guarded to prevent… mishaps, shall we say?”

Then we mounted the steps and entered the warm glow of his home, shutting the door firmly on the darkness outside.


	69. Chapter 69

I took a good look around me as we entered Rishi’s and Sharmila’s house, which was substantially larger than even the houses in Selphia. Sharmila smiled at my curiosity, and explained. “This is the house of the Ra’mara, the Prince, the Son of the King that was and is no more. As the leader of the tribe, he is expected to provide hospitality to those in need—the rare stranger or visitor, but also any who are displaced and have nowhere to go. This often happens during the worst monsoons, when many homes are damaged or even destroyed. Furthermore, the house of the Ra’mara also serves as a meeting hall and the one and the seat of our government. Any and all who are in need of arbitration, justice, or succor come here to receive it. This is why the Ra’mara’s house is so capacious.”

“So this, then, is the house where Avani and Rishi grew up?” I asked as we walked down a long hall, passing several doors on either side.

“Yes. In fact, Avani’s room remains much the same as when she left it on the morning of her marriage. I would put you there tonight, but the bed is too small for two.”

“Might I see it?” I asked, my ears perking up. I felt a keen desire to have a look into her youth, as it were.

She smiled, and replied, “I’m sure that Avani will show you around later.” Then turning to address the group as a whole, she said, “I’m certain you all must be very hungry after the day’s efforts. I will leave you in our private sitting room and see to a meal.” She bowed her head to us, then started to leave, but Avani grabbed her arm.

“Please, Sharmila, before anything else, I want to bathe. I want to wash… all… _that_ away.” She shivered a little, as she looked at her brother’s wife beseechingly.

“Oh, my dear, of course you do. I apologize for not thinking of that immediately. You know where to go—you’ll find the water hot and ready,” Sharmila said, looking distressed.

Avani glanced down at her clothing—torn and stained—and sighed softly to herself. I looked at Sharmila and asked, “Is there someone that could transport me to Selphia and back again? I should check in with Arthur and let everyone know that Avani has been found and is doing as well as may be expected, and I think that a clean change of clothing would not be unwelcome, as well. And I need to return Baldur to his pen, too, unless you wish to keep a monstrous wolf in your home.”

Sharmila considered for a minute. “You see, the difficulty is that we’ve already done so much teleporting, and it’s very draining to travel that way. I highly doubt that either Chanda or I could handle it, and Avani certainly cannot. Rishi could do it, as he has a fairly high capacity for spellcasting, but….”

“But you worry for him, because of his blindness?” I finished for her as she hesitated. She nodded, glancing quickly at her spouse. “If he is willing to take me, I will look after him. I may not look it,” I added drily, “but in my time and among my people, I, too, was a Dragon Priest to Ventuswill.” She looked startled, and I grinned. “So we may have more in common than you thought.”

She nodded slowly, and said with a rueful smile, “If Rishi is willing to go, I will trust you to take care of him. The decision, of course, is and always has been his. But I’ve been looking after him for so long now, it’s sometimes difficult to leave him to the care of others.”

“I will gladly take Leon there and back again,” Rishi said, smiling. “I am not entirely helpless, my beloved, despite my handicap.”

“Then let’s go now, while Avani bathes, so that she may have fresh clothing to put on afterward.” I held her for a moment, kissing her and whispering to her that I would hurry as quickly as I could and to just relax in the bath until I returned. Then, as I called Baldur to me, Rishi reached out and carefully caressed his twin’s hair before placing his hand on my shoulder and chanting the teleportation spell.

A moment later, we appeared in our bedchamber in Selphia. I hastily led him out the back door, stopping on the way to return Baldur back to his stable, and we headed over to see Arthur. As usual, he was working, despite the lateness of the hour. I gave him a very brief summary of the afternoon’s events and assured him that Avani was fine, then I left Rishi there to talk with Arthur while I returned home. I packed clean clothing for both of us, as well as pyjamas and a few sundry items I thought Avani would want or like to have. On the way back to Arthur’s office, I stopped at Dylas’s room and packed a few things for him, as well, shoving them into a bag I found next to his desk. I hurried as quickly as I could, wishing to return to Avani as soon as possible. As I bounded down the stairs leading into Arthur’s offices, he and Rishi both stood, recognizing my urgency. We said our farewells, and a few moments later we were back in the village green.

Once we rejoined our companions, I tossed Dylas’s bag to him, catching him by surprise, then Sharmila led me through the maze of halls and rooms to the bathing room. Stepping inside, I found Avani more than half asleep, her head resting on her arms as she leaned against the tiled edge of the bathing pool. I dropped the bag I’d packed on a bench nearby, shed my clothing, and showered as quietly as I could before sliding into the lukewarm pool next to her. The gentle rocking motion of the water caused by my entry startled her awake, and she quickly turned to look at me. I thought that her thoughts or dreams must have been troubled—possibly reliving recent or past events—from the relief in her eyes when she saw me by her side.

* * *

 

I sat and soaked alongside her for a while, though admittedly the water was much too cool for my taste—though perfect for her needs. We didn’t talk, though I had a hundred questions in my mind, but simply sat in congenial silence. After a time, we exited the pool and toweled off, dressed in the clean clothes I’d brought, and rejoined the others. A few minutes after we sat down, Sharmila appeared to call us to dine.

Tucking Avani’s hand into my arm, we followed Sharmila and Rishi to the dining room—a large room with a cool, tiled floor covered in thick, patterned rugs. Colorful paper covered the walls between the tall windows hung with saffron-yellow curtains, and in the center of the room was a long, low table surrounded by cushions in all shapes, sizes, and colors. A crimson and dark yellow patterned cloth was spread over the table, reaching the floor on all sides.

Rishi stood at one end of the table with Sharmila to his right, and she called us to come and sit where we pleased as they seated themselves on the cushions. Avani sat between her brother and me, and a few moments later, two girls began to carry in platters and bowls of food. Steaming, fragrant dishes of vegetables in heavily spiced sauces, golden rice mixed with finely chopped vegetables, flat breads, and one dish of some white cubes in a thick, green sauce. It was entirely unlike any food I recognized either from my youth or from recent experience, except perhaps a slight resemblance to the curry dishes I’d tasted at Porcoline’s restaurant or from Avani’s home cooking. However, nothing she cooked was like _this_ , as she had evidently forgotten the food of her homeland in her amnesia.

She looked delighted by the food set before us now, though, and Sharmila smiled at her enthusiasm. “I asked the cooks to prepare all of your old favorites,” she commented, “in celebration of your homecoming. Speaking of which….” And she looked up at the open doorway behind us. Avani and I turned and looked, and a small crowd of men and women, boys and girls were jammed into the doorway, peering in at her in delight. Laughing, Sharmila said, “The servants were all so overjoyed at your return that they just had to come and see you with their own eyes. No, no—please stay seated. They know that you are tired and also that you are well along in pregnancy. They just wanted a look, not to disarrange you in any way.”

Avani blushed as she turned back to the small group, nodding and saying hello to each of them in turn as they peeped over and around each other to get a better view of her before smiling with a pleased reply to her greetings and departing. She looked at me afterwards, still rosy-cheeked, and explained, “Many of them were my father’s servants, and some of them have been here since before Rishi and I were born. The rest were boys and girls I’ve known since their births.”

As we began to help ourselves to portions of the delicious foods, I said, “Is this parte of the caste system you mentioned to Arthur? Is there a servant caste?”

“No,” Rishi said, pausing with his spoon halfway to his mouth. “Most of these had nowhere else to go—displaced for one reason or another. Some because their parents couldn’t afford to raise them, some were orphans, some simply had no other useful skills.”

Avani glanced quickly at Chanda, then at Rishi and Sharmila. “Chanda _should_ have been given a place here by my father, but he was too superstitious. Still, I had thought that once _you_ became Ra’mara….”

Chanda turned bright red and looked down at her lap as Dylas and I both glanced at her, then Rishi said, “I know, my love. But you see, it’s much easier to make friends with a servant than to make a servant of a friend. I know Chanda has not had a happy life in her home, though, and since our father’s death, she has spent most of her time here—not as a servant, but as an honored guest.”

Avani relaxed a little, looking relieved. “I’m so glad of that.” She looked over at her friend, saying, “I feel as though I hadn’t done nearly enough for you. All those years I left you to manage on your own while I was married to… to Bhima, and then of course during my amnesia. Has it been… very bad for you?”

Not meeting her worried gaze, Chanda shrugged. “About the same,” she muttered. “Though at least my father quit trying to sell me off after _you_ intervened.”

“ _Sell_?” I exclaimed, while Dylas stared, looking shocked.

Avani nodded, then placing a warning hand on my arm, she said, “Yes. But that’s a story for another time, I think.”

Then she turned back to her brother with a curious look. “By the way, my love, what is this about my having two properties here? How is that? I only know of Bhima’s property.”

Rishi sighed and set his spoon down, reaching for the tall, slender glass of sweetened hot tea next to his plate. After a long sip, he looked towards Avani and replied. “I fear you will not like what I have to say, but I will tell you nevertheless.

“As you know, you inherit all of Bhima’s property now that he is deceased. The fact that you killed him has no bearing on the matter, as you killed him in defense of your own life and that of your unborn children—thus absolving you of any responsibility for his death; his death lies on his head and his head alone. If I recall, his property consists of his house and the land on which it is situated, and also two or three fine fields scattered throughout the mountains. Not to mention the animals, the furnishings, and so on. I sent two of my strongest guards to keep watch over the house, though of course the fields remain unguarded.

“However, you already were the legal owner of another house, long before Bhima’s death. After Sundara’s death was reported, it was brought to our father’s attention by the Crone at that time that Sundara had left a will.”

Avani exclaimed, “A _will_?” Then sensing my confusion at her reaction, she turned to explain to me and to Dylas, “Wills among our people are permitted but virtually unheard-of. We have long-standing customs dictating the order of inheritance, and normally we just abide by those. I don’t think I can recall a will being discovered after someone’s death… well, _ever_.”

Rishi nodded agreement, then continued. “Yes, Sundara made a will. He had explained to the Crone that as he was an only child and his parents already had a satisfactory home in which to live out their days, he wished to leave his home to… to _you_.”

Avani gasped, shocked, and half-rose, saying, “ _What_? Are you sure about this? And why… why wasn’t I told any of this until now?”

Gesturing her to be seated, Rishi went on. “Please let me finish, my love. He wished to leave you his home so that you would have a place of refuge from your husband, after his death as during his life. He loved you more than any of us realized, I think, except you. The Crone seemed to think that he felt a crisis was rapidly approaching—one that he feared he would not survive. And so he wanted to be certain that you were provided for, at least as best as he was able. So he left it all to you—the house, the land, all the furnishings… everything he had.

“However, our father feared that if you had a place to run to, a place to escape your husband, that it would only take that much longer for you to become reconciled to your ‘duty,’ as he called it. So he forbade the seers to breathe so much as a word of your inheritance to anyone, and kept you in the dark. I knew of it only because I happened to be studying quietly in a corner of the room, and Father had forgotten I was there until it was too late. Then he likewise forbade me to tell you, saying that if I did, you would surely suffer in the long term. I wasn’t sure that I believed that, but he was convincing enough that I feared to take the risk. I’m sorry, my love, for not telling you sooner, though I don’t know if the knowledge would have done you more harm or good.”

He sighed, leaning his cheek into his hand as he closed his eyes. Avani sat in silence for some minutes, neither eating nor drinking as she absorbed this newest development, and the rest of us likewise abstained as we watched her and waited. Finally she turned to her brother and leaned over to kiss his cheek. “My love, I don’t know if you did me harm or good. But unlike our father, you acted out of love and concern for my well-being. So if you did me harm, I forgive you gladly, and if you did me good, I thank you joyfully.”

Rishi smiled then, leaning forward to touch his forehead to hers, the tip of his nose to hers, as they smiled into each others faces—so dissimilar, yet so alike.

* * *

 

Later that night, after the meal was over, and fascinating stories of tribal legends and lore had been told over cups of hot tea and dishes of tiny pastries and other sweets, I slipped into bed alongside Avani. The bed was large and covered with a colorfully embroidered spread, and very comfortable. The whole room was quite colorful, like the rest of the house. Brilliant pink and green paper, embellished with designs of gold, covered the walls, and several portraits of proud men and beautiful women were hung on the wall opposite the windows. The furniture was all of some smooth, hard, black wood, painted with gilt designs. A vase of brilliant pink hibiscus rested on Avani’s night table, a book I had requested to borrow sat on mine, and massive beeswax candles had been placed on huge brass candlesticks on both tables, ready for us to light.

On our way to our room, Avani had stopped by her old room. Stepping in, I glanced around with avid curiosity at the spacious room, still full of the charm and grace of its former girlish occupant. The colors were bright, but more pastel than jewel-toned. Lavenders, pale greens, cyan, pink, and buttery yellow predominated, and the trim around the doors and the tall casement window opening to a small balcony were all painted with vines full of colorful flowers and birds and butterflies—all painted by Avani herself, she told me, mostly when she was confined to her room in punishment for some misbehavior or act of defiance, she added with a slight smile, and I grinned at the thought of her youthful misdemeanors until the remembrance of her later griefs sobered me.

Her bed was, as Sharmila had said, too narrow for two, but it was a very pretty, feminine bed, placed next to the east-facing window through which she could have watched the sun rise. Her furniture was painted sky-blue and decorated with pink and yellow flowers, and she had a pair of large bookcases filled with books next to a spacious desk in one corner of the room. Crossing over to examine her youthful reading material, I was surprised by the selection. There were, naturally, many childish storybooks, just as one would expect in a child’s room. But there were also many books and scrolls of history, magic, legends, and myths; of biographies, horticulture, geography, and geology; of medicine, alchemy, philosophy, and astronomy. Clearly, even as a child, my wife had possessed an insatiable curiosity, and I felt both pleased and proud with the good fortune that had brought us together.

Chanda had been staying in one of the smaller guest rooms, and since Sharmila had decided to put Dylas into another of the smaller rooms nearby, she led Dylas there on her way to her own bed. Sharmila, meanwhile, had simply told Avani which room to take, and I was grateful to discover that it was far enough removed from the others to secure a little privacy.

* * *

 

I lit my candle and rolled over to look at Avani, who lay facing me, though her eyes were closed. I lay watching her for a few moments, thinking how close I had come to losing her—closer than ever, so far. She looked so frail in her debilitation, her skin pale, dark circles beneath her eyes, the thin blue lines of her veins standing out against the paleness of her eyelids and wrists and neck. The gauntness that had come upon her during her mourning for Venti had partly returned under the strain of the past few days combined with the rapidly increasing demands of the twins she carried. The bones of her collarbone and shoulders jutted out too sharply, and I could see the point of her hip beneath the coverlet. Even her wedding ring hung loose on her finger, I noted with concern, and I determined that whatever business she may have to deal with here in her home village, it would have to wait. Tomorrow I would insist she rest and heal and _eat_ , damn it, if I had to feed her every morsel myself.

“My Lady?” I whispered, uncertain if she slept. But her eyes opened, and though they were a little sunken, and she was too tired to open them more than halfway, still I could see them shining with the inner radiance that was Avani.

“Yes, Leo? What is it?” she replied in a low voice.

Taking a deep breath, I asked one of the questions foremost on my mind. "Love, when you… when you left me… when you seemed to… to die… what happened? I was so sure I had lost you. It was unbearable. And then... oh, my love, you can't imagine my relief and joy when your heart began to beat again."

She snuggled up to me then, resting her cheek on my chest, slipping one hand over my stomach and one leg across mine. Closing her eyes in thought, she slowly replied. “I… I don’t remember as much of it now. It was like waking from a dream, you know—at first you remember all of it, or at least you think you do. But then a minute later half of it’s gone, and by evening you can only remember a few fragments of it, if anything at all.

“I remember… I remember Bhima was there, trying again to capture me. It was like a horrible nightmare. Oh, and it was all so… _grey_ there. No colors anywhere. Except for _his_ eyes—his glowing green eyes.” She shivered, then continued. “I can’t remember why… he was reaching out for me and I couldn’t move…. Oh! That’s right, it was the children. _Our_ children—the twins. They were with me, and they were clinging to me in terror because of him. _That’s_ why I couldn’t move. And Sano and Uno were there—I could see their red and blue eyes, I remember now—the only other colors, I think. But they were too far away to help me. Then… then… what was it? Something….” She hesitated, chewing on her lip and strumming her fingertips on my side as she concentrated. “White. Something… something white. A bird. An… an egret? No—a peacock, that’s right. A white peacock. It just appeared out of nowhere, and it attacked Bhima, then it picked him up—I don’t know how—and carried him away. It dropped him next to the foxes and flew away, and…” She made a slight retching sound, and I glanced at her quickly, and was startled by her sudden sickly pallor. “The… the foxes,” she said faintly, a moment later. “They… they ate him. Ate Bhima’s spirit, I mean.”

“They _what_?” I exclaimed, raising myself up on my elbow to look at her in surprise. Then I recalled their peculiar expressions after they delivered their final message.

“They ate his… his soul. I-I guess that’s what they meant, about Ventu denying my request….” She shuddered and shook her head as if to clear it, then lay lost in thought for a few moments. “I… I do remember one other thing now….”

“What is that, My Lady?” I asked, not without some trepidation, after her last revelation.

“It… it was before Bhima found me. I was crying, and our daughter was trying to comfort me. She kept saying that Daddy would come soon to help us.”

I felt like I’d been stabbed in the heart. I froze for a moment, then fell back against the pillows, staring at the ceiling in silence, thinking how once again I had let her down. I’d sworn to protect her—yet when had I really ever succeeded in that? I was crushed that even before her birth, our daughter had such confidence in me—and that it was entirely misplaced.

After a minute, I lifted her hand to my lips and kissed it. “I’m sorry, My Lady. I let you and our children down. I failed you all—failed to protect you, failed even to come to your rescue.” I felt a hot tear trickle down my cheek, but I couldn’t be bothered to brush it away.

She sat up and reached over, turning my face towards hers to look into my eyes, her expression alarmed. “Leo…,” she said, “my beloved—no, you didn’t fail us. You _did_ come to our rescue—you found us, in spite of all the odds against you. And you pulled me out of that dark place—by bringing your foxes with you, who were able to go where you could not and retrieve what you had lost. If you hadn’t followed me… if you hadn’t found me….” She started to cry, then, and burying her face in my shoulder, she shook with the intensity of her weeping as she sobbed, “Oh, Leo, you have no… _no_ idea what he was capable of, no idea of the things he could _do_ ….”

So I did the only thing _I_ could do in that moment—I put my arms around her and held her close against me until she cried herself to sleep, and then I continued to hold her throughout the night as we both slept in the comfort of each other’s warmth.


	70. Chapter 70

A gentle tap on the door woke me from a sound slumber, then a voice called softly. “Avani? Leon? Are you awake? Breakfast will be ready shortly, if you wish to join us.” Then the sound of footsteps fading away.

Avani and I lay on our sides, curling into each other as we lay face to face with my arms around her. She didn’t quite awaken, I could see, but her sleep was disturbed enough that she curled up even more tightly, nestling her head under my chin and drawing her knees up between my own. I was hesitant to wake her, since I was sure she needed the rest, but I was equally certain that she needed food. So it was with mixed feelings that I caressed her cheek and whispered into her hair, “Avani? My Lady, it’s time to wake up. The others are waiting for us to join them for breakfast.”

She burrowed down a little deeper into my embrace, then she sighed. “Must we? I’m so comfortable like this, I don’t want to move.”

I gave her a gentle squeeze, and said, “I’m afraid so, love. You need to eat something. Perhaps we can find time for a nap this afternoon, though, before the meeting tonight.”

She sat up and stretched, and I rolled out of bed and grabbed the bag I’d packed. Rummaging around, I found one of the outfits I’d packed for her—a pretty, loose dress that slipped easily over her round belly—and brought it to her. She looked up at me and smiled in gratitude before slipping out of bed. We both dressed, then we went to join the others.

* * *

 

With the exception of a spat between Chanda and Dylas, breakfast was an enjoyable affair. Afterwards, Rishi reminded us that there would be a meeting that night. “I’ll call the tribe to gather this evening,” he said as we rose from the table. “Leon and Dylas, you will be welcome there, though I would suggest you attend merely as observers, for now at least, as you are unfamiliar with our ways. The meeting will include the evening meal and will be held on the village green. Avani and Chanda will know what time to be ready. I will be busy all day preparing for the meeting, and Sharmila will be busy overseeing the cooks and servants. Even though every family brings food to share, there seems to never be enough—most of us are farmers, and we have hearty appetites. So she will see to it that there is plenty for all who come.”

“How do you get word out?” I asked, curious about communications. Within the village would be no problem, I imagined, but what about all those who lived on the farms scattered across the adjacent hills?

Rishi smiled and gestured for us to follow him. Once inside, he said, “Go on out to the green. I’ll join you in a moment.”

The four of us—Dylas, Chanda, Avani, and I—headed out to the lawn in front of the house, and a few minutes later, Rishi rejoined us, guided by Sharmila. Behind him, a servant carried a massive, curved horn as from some gigantic beast. Rishi took the horn from the man, lifted the narrow end to his lips and, taking a deep breath, he blew, just as Avani clapped her hands over my ears, flattening them down. Covered as they were, though, I still heard the deep, resonant tone blasting from the horn in a series of short and long notes. When he lowered the horn, Avani removed her hands, and I could hear the echoes resounding through the hills all around us.

“The pattern of notes indicates the message,” Rishi said as he turned towards us, “while the tempo indicates the urgency or importance. The notes gave the message that I was calling the tribe to a meeting tonight at the evening meal, while the tempo indicated that the entire tribe should come—or at least all those who are able. In half an hour, I’ll repeat the message, then once more after that. Those who hear it will pass it along to any they meet, so if any somehow miss all three messages, they’ll still learn of it from a neighbor or relative.”

I thought that was a fairly clever way to communicate a message across such a wide area. In my youth, we had used runners to distribute urgent messages to those who live farther from the center of our town, or for delivering any urgent messages at all. But in a community such as this, and in such a climate and terrain, runners would have had great difficulty in travelling swiftly to deliver their messages in a timely fashion. They could teleport, but as that particular spell evidently required a lot of energy to cast even once, that seemed like an inefficient means of communication—especially in an emergency, when one might need that energy for other uses.

Turning to my wife with a smile, I said, “Well, My Lady, what would you like to do today?”

She tapped a fingertip on her pursed lips as she thought, scowling a little. “I really should take a look at both houses. Sundara’s must be a mess by now, if it’s been abandoned all this time.”

Rishi, halfway up the steps to the house already with Sharmila at his side, turned to call back to her. “No need to worry, my love. Although father wouldn’t let you know of it, he did at least see to it that it was cared for. It should be in good condition still.” Then they continued on into the house to begin their day’s work.

Avani hesitated, uncertain, and I reached for her hand. “You should rest, beloved,” I said, gently. “The houses will keep. Why don’t we do something fun today? I’m wholly unfamiliar with this part of the country, and I’m sure Dylas is, too. So perhaps you ladies can show us around the area a little? Nothing too strenuous—I really don’t want you to push yourself any further.”

The women looked at each other somewhat blankly for a moment, then Dylas spoke up. “One thing I don’t get. You know, when we were together, I always figured you must have come from the coast or something. I mean, you loved fishing, and you swam so well—you were almost like a fish yourself, in the water. So how the hell did you learn to swim and fish like that here in the _forest?_ ”

Avani looked at him and grinned, and I could see Chanda rolling her eyes as she turned slightly away. “You want to know? Then I’ll show you. Let’s go ask the cooks for a picnic lunch, and I’ll take you two there.”

* * *

 

Half an hour later, we were following her along a winding path. I couldn’t even tell if we were going up or down—we did so much of both that I lost track of our net gain or loss in altitude. After perhaps an hour of clambering over roots and under branches and through curtains of vines, we arrived at a slight precipice. Looking down, I saw below us a beautiful lake, shining in the mid-morning sunlight like a brilliant mirror, reflecting the sky and the emerald hills all around it in its glasslike surface.

That was where Avani led us, down a steep path to its shore. The shoreline was grassy and rounded, not flat and sandy or rocky as were most the of the lakes I knew well. We found a shady spot near the edge of the forest, and Dylas and I placed the hampers of food there before we strolled to the water’s edge. Looking over at us, Avani said, “Well? Do you want to go for a swim? The water here is lovely—clear and cool, but not frigid. It’s so refreshing to swim here when the weather is hot and humid.”

Dylas frowned at her. “I suppose a swim might be nice, though I’d rather go fishing. But we don’t have swimsuits _or_ fishing poles.”

Chanda gave him a look of pure disdain, and Avani threw her head back and laughed—a good, hearty laugh such as I hadn’t heard from her in days, and I smiled at the sound. Shaking her head, she said, “Dylas… we don’t _wear_ swimsuits. Who here would waste time and energy and materials on something that you use just to get wet? We have no compunctions about bathing together or about nudity, so there’s no point in covering up. In Selphia, _your_ home, I wore a swimsuit—partly because I didn’t remember my own people or our traditions, but also partly out of respect for your sense of propriety. But you’re in _my_ world now, and here, we swim naked. Just _try_ it—once you get over your shyness, you’ll find it’s far more refreshing.”

With that, she began to strip her clothing off, to Dylas’s obvious discomfiture. Chanda frowned, obviously not wanting anyone to see her friend undressing, local custom notwithstanding. I shrugged and grinned at Dylas and likewise began to remove my clothing. Soon after, Chanda joined us, though she still looked out of sorts.

Once we were stripped, Chanda exclaimed as she looked up and down at Avani. “You’re far too thin!,” she scolded, giving her a closer examination. “Look at you, I can count your ribs! Dammit, I can see your spine, even! Aren’t you eating?” Turning to me with a scowl, she said, “You— _you_ did this to her. You have to take better care of her than this—she looks awful!”

With a grimace, Avani pushed her friend away. “Oh, shut it, Chanda. I’m fine, really I am. Leo takes wonderful care of me—I’ve just been through a lot lately, and it’s drained my reserves more than usual. Give me a few days, and I’m sure you’ll see some improvement. But don’t you dare blame him for my appearance—I’m my own woman.”

Chanda huffed in annoyance. “Well, I guess at least you’ve gotten some of your spirit back. You’re more like your old self, before… before you married that monster.” Then she glanced over to Dylas, who was hanging back, still dressed and his cheeks red as he averted his eyes from us. “And what’s with _you_? Too good to swim with a redeye like me?”

“Huh? Wha…?” Dylas said, startled into looking up at her before turning even more crimson and looking quickly away again. “N-no, it’s not… I’m just….”

Avani walked up to him and put a hand on his arm. “Listen, Dylas. We’ve seen each other naked many times. You and Leon have bathed together, too, I know. Chanda doesn’t care—this is normal for us. So that really just leaves _you_ being uncomfortable with _her_ , doesn’t it? But there’s no real reason for you to be. I know that you’ve been self-conscious ever since you awakened with some equine features, and while I couldn’t truthfully say that everyone in my tribe would accept someone who looked different—obviously, from Chanda’s story, you know that already anyway. But _many_ of us wouldn’t care, any more than I did when we first met or later when we first became lovers. When you’re self-conscious like this, when you assume others will judge you… well, you’re judging them, too, aren’t you? So while you’re here among my people, try not to judge us for our differences. Give our customs a chance before rejecting them. You needn’t adopt them, you know, as you aren’t planning to live here.”

Dylas looked up at her then, though obviously still uncomfortable. She sighed and turned to walk towards the water, grabbing my arm and pulling me with her. She called back over her shoulder, “Well, take your time, then. And when you’re ready, join us. I guarantee the water will be lovely—positively divine by mid-afternoon!”

Chanda started to follow us, then she turned and looked back again at Dylas, who again blushed at the sight of her unclothed. By no means was she an unattractive woman, though she wasn’t as shapely as Avani. Her breasts were smaller and her hips narrower, but she was nonetheless well proportioned and sleekly muscled.

“Well, are you coming, or not?” she said, impatiently.

“I, uhh… I’m just not sure I like the idea of… you know. Taking my clothes off in front of a strange woman.”

“Hah! Don’t flatter yourself,” she said, scornfully. “There’s plenty of handsome men in our village—and besides, I _hate_ men.” She turned back to stroll down to the lake, calling back as she walked away from him, “I didn’t figure you to be such a _coward_.”

I grinned to myself as Dylas began to sputter angrily, and when I glanced back, he was rapidly shedding his clothing.

Striding down to join us in the water, he glared defiantly at Chanda, who just raised an eyebrow as if to say, ‘Yeah? So what?’.

“See? I told you he was good-looking,” Avani said to Chanda with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

Chanda shrugged again, saying, “Yeah, I guess he’s not bad. Neither’s your husband. But I _still_ think some of our men are better looking. I mean, if you just go by looks alone, you gotta admit _Bhima_ was pretty impressive. He was just so… so revolting _inside_. But I _still_ hate men. They’ve never brought me anything but trouble.”

* * *

 

We swam far out into the lake, which was huge and deep, and as Avani had assured us, delightfully refreshing. When the sun was high overhead, we returned to shore. Dylas and I fetched the hampers of food and we all ate, au naturel, on the lake shore, stretching out on the lush grass to sun ourselves afterwards. However, it didn’t take long at all for us to feel too warm in the intensity of the afternoon sun, and the humidity soon began to affect us, too. So we went back to the lake for another swim before returning to the village.

While we were swimming, Chanda spotted something farther down the shore that attracted her attention, and she swam over to investigate it. Before she could call out her discovery to us, though, she suddenly screamed and dropped down out of sight. Startled, we all stared, looking for her in astonishment. A moment later, Dylas shouted, and then I saw her being dragged feet first into the water. " _Mukara_!" she screamed, and glancing at Avani in bewilderment, I saw her turn white before starting to swim as fast as she could towards her friend. I followed her, but Dylas was the nearest to Chanda and reached her first. He gave another yell as he began to climb up the shore near her, then he dove down and grabbed at something in the water. As we reached shallower water where we could stand and wade up to the shore, he pulled a huge reptilian beast out of the water by its long, thick tail. Avani shrieked when we saw that it still held Chanda by her leg, firmly gripped in its massive jaws as she screamed in pain.

Dylas dragged the beast onto land and then delivered a powerful blow to its skull, stunning it enough that it released its grip, allowing Chanda to roll away. We’d reached them by then, and I ran to pick her up and carry her away, Avani close behind, as the monster turned its snapping jaws towards his assailant. I left Avani to heal her friend’s leg and returned to help Dylas.

He had no need of my assistance, however, as by the time I reached him, he had already picked up the monster by its tail. Despite its considerable length—it was at least half again as long as Dylas was tall—he swung it by its tail, battering it against the trunks of the trees nearby with such force that the trees cracked and one even splintered. When it had been stunned nearly senseless, he flung it down and picked it up beneath its front legs and squeezed it, crushing it in his powerful arms. It revived enough to fight for its life, flailing its legs, whipping its tail, and swinging its massive head side to side as it struggled to free itself. I heard the cracking of bones as I reached them, and then Dylas flung it down into the shallow water and hit it with a strong bolt of electricity. It gave a final, agonized roar of pain and rage, then it convulsed and finally lay still, slowly sliding down into the water where it gradually disappeared from sight.

We ran back to where Avani knelt over Chanda, who was by then unconscious with shock, casting a second healing spell on her. Her leg had been pretty badly mutilated, and the heavy bleeding from her wounds left her unnaturally pale. I took over, as Avani had not yet replenished her reserves and wasn’t strong enough for more than the two spells she’d already cast. I was able, of course, to heal her wounds, but I couldn’t give her back the blood she’d lost, and she remained unconscious. Teleporting back to the village would be the best thing to do, but unfortunately neither of the women were up to the task. Instead, Dylas gently lifted her in his arms, his discomfort with their nudity forgotten, and he followed the shoreline to the forest path and began the long hike back to the village, traveling as fast as he could go without disturbing Chanda too badly. Avani and I looked at each other, startled, then we quickly gathered all our clothing and the hampers before hurrying to catch up to him as he quickly and carefully carried her all the way back to the village.

Our arrival caused a bit of a stir, as it was apparently unusual for a group to come rushing into the village from the woods, unclothed and carrying a naked, bloody, unconscious woman. By the time we reached Rishi’s home, we had more than a few curious villagers following in our wake.

Avani ran ahead, bursting into the house and shouting for Sharmila, who came running to see what the matter was. When she saw Chanda in Dylas’s arms, she cried out in dismay and turned to hurry back inside, calling for us to follow her. One of the servants, who had accompanied her mistress, shooed away the small crowd, and closed the door behind us.

Sharmila led us to a room near the entry, and asked Dylas to lay Chanda on a low, cushioned chaise. We stood around as Sharmila knelt next to Chanda and examined her. She looked up with relief a few moments later, saying, “She’ll be all right. She looks as though she has lost some blood, but her pulse is sufficient, if not as strong as it should be, and she feels neither dangerously hot nor cold. What in the name of Ventu _happened_?”

Avani knelt next to her sister-in-law, and told her all about the creature that attacked her and how Dylas came to her rescue, killing the beast and carrying her all the way back to town. A slight movement from the chaise caught their attention, and they saw that Chanda had regained consciousness and was watching them.

“How do you feel, dear?” Avani asked, reaching a hand out to stroke her hair.

“Is… is that true? What you said?” she replied feebly. “Did he really kill the mukara and carry me all the way back here?”

“He did,” Avani assured her, glancing up at Dylas with a smile as he turned red with embarrassment.

Chanda looked over at him, then glancing up and down at him, she raised herself up and looked down at herself, apparently just realizing that both were still naked. She fell back against the cushions and looked up at him again. “Pervert,” she said, but she said it now without rancor—perhaps even fondly—and with a weak smile.

As she closed her eyes and began to drift into sleep, Dylas snorted. “Idiot,” he said softly, and there was no mistaking the tenderness in his voice.


	71. Chapter 71

Dylas, Avani, and I all quietly left Sharmila’s study, leaving Chanda sleeping peacefully under her care. She’d cast some spell that the seers alone knew, I gathered mainly due to the difficulty in learning it as well as the potential to do more harm than good. Sharmila explained that it would accelerate the healing process, allowing her to quickly replenish the blood she’d lost, but that she had to negate the spell after a few hours or a day at most, or else the acceleration could cause irreparable damage.

As we quietly walked down the hall, Dylas suggested a bath would be a good idea. We were still naked, and each of us was smeared with grime and blood. Avani and I agreed, and she led us back to the bathing room.

This time it was occupied by a few of the servants. They were just finishing, though, and by the time we had finished scrubbing and rinsing in the shower, they had departed. The water was too hot for Avani to soak in this time, so Dylas and I soaked in the bath while she sat on the edge with her legs dangling down into the bath. After a few minutes of quiet relaxation, she looked over at Dylas, who was leaning back and sunk down so that the water came nearly to his chin. “Well, now that half the tribe has seen you in the buff, are you feeling a little more at ease with nudity and your appearance?”

Dylas turned beet-red and slipped down a little, sputtering. “No! I mean, not really. I… I don’t think I’ll ever be _that_ comfortable. But….”

“But?” Avani prompted as he hesitated.

Turning a little more red, he said, “Well… you were right about the water. It _did_ feel pretty nice without a swimsuit, especially in that heat.” I burst out laughing and he glared at me. “H-hey! Knock it off! It’s not _that_ funny!”

“Well, the next time Avani and I throw a skinny-dipping party, we’ll be sure to invite you first,” I teased him with a grin, and Avani kicked a spray of water at me as she laughed at the idea.

* * *

 

Within a couple of hours, Chanda had recovered enough to rise, and she declared her intent to attend the evening’s meeting despite her debility. Sharmila hesitantly approved, then sent her to go and bathe with Avani’s assistance. The two women appeared a little while later, dressed in native garb. Chanda wore a crimson tunic with some simple embroidery on the sleeves, and baggy, lightweight trousers in a black print—a modest costume that suited her well. Avani, on the other hand, was stunning. She wore a peacock-blue skirt and cropped top that left her rounded belly exposed. Both the skirt and top were heavily embroidered in gold and red and decorated with small red jewels or crystals, and she carried a length of sheer peacock-blue fabric draped across her waist and shoulder. Her celadon hair had been braided and wound at the back of her head, with tiny golden-yellow flowers tucked into the coils.

In her arms, she carried additional clothing. “Here, I brought these for you two, if you’d like to dress in the local fashion for the meeting tonight?” She handed a few articles of clothing to Chanda, and held up the rest. I was intrigued by the bright colors and the embroidery, having a love of color myself. Seeing the dubious look on Dylas’s face, she explained, “They’re similar to Chanda’s outfit, only the tunics are longer and more heavily embroidered. She prefers simple clothing for even the most formal occasions.”

“Is this a formal occasion, then?” I asked, somewhat surprised.

“In a way, I suppose. There will be an announcement of Bhima’s death—and for all his despicable behavior, he was well-regarded in the community, since most of the tribe never saw his… darker side. And an announcement of our marriage and pregnancy, not that the latter is exactly necessary. Since I’m a princess, though, it will still be a matter of interest—especially given that, as far as the tribe is concerned, I was already married at the time of our marriage. And of course, everyone will be keen to see me after my long absence, regardless of whether they wish me well or ill. So it behooves us to look our best, since so many eyes will be upon us.”

“Well, then, My Lady, I defer to your expertise. Which would you have me wear? I rather fancy the peacock blue and gold costume, myself, since it matches yours so well and since I favor that shade anyway. But if you would prefer some other outfit….”

“No, not at all—I was hoping you’d choose that one. I’ll have a servant help you dress, and he can make any adjustments needed to the size as well as make some accommodation for your tail. Dylas, what about you?”

He snorted as he examined the brightly colored clothing. “Unlike Mr. Fancypants there, I don’t care for bright colors. I don’t suppose you have anything… well, darker?”

“I think there was something. Both of you, come with me.”

She led us upstairs and back to a good-sized room that seemed to have nothing but wardrobes, a few chairs, a stool, a small table, and a large mirror in it. She lay the costume I’d selected over the back of one chair, and opening a wardrobe, she replaced the other clothing in it. She flipped through the contents of that wardrobe, then went to another. After a few moments, she exclaimed and pulled out some black clothing. Dylas acquiesced with a slight shrug, and she told us to wait there.

A moment later, an older man knocked and entered the room. He bowed, and offered his services. I saw that he carried a pouch at his belt, and as soon as we accepted, he opened it and whipped out a tiny pair of scissors, a thimble, a needle, and a wooden spool of thread.

In no time at all, he had our old clothing off, the new clothing on, and was snipping and stitching, modifying the clothing to fit us better and to fit our tails. Fortunately, the pants were loose and baggy, which made it easier to fit them to our height. The sleeves were a little problematic, especially for Dylas, but all in all, the clothing fit us surprisingly well by the time he finished.

My coat was of the same blue as Avani’s outfit, and embroidered with gold thread around the cuffs and the neckline and placket. Small gold emblems were embroidered across the remainder of the coat at regular intervals, and the baggy pants were of a pale gold cloth. Dylas’s, though, was the really remarkable outfit. The coat was made of a fabric woven with a black-on-black design, with a little silver embroidery to highlight the design across the chest and at the collar. The buttons down the front were made of carven ebony. The loose-fitting pants were of a solid, shiny black cloth, and while I was given simple gold cloth slippers to wear with my costume, his were black and heavily embroidered with silver thread.

When we rejoined the ladies, Avani opened her eyes wide and gave a squeal of delight, clapping her hands like an overjoyed child. “You both look wonderful!” she exclaimed, circling first me and then Dylas. “Don’t they, Chanda?”

Chanda stared at Dylas for a moment until he began to squirm uncomfortably, then to my surprise, she blushed furiously and looked away. She mumbled, “I guess they’ll do,” then hurried out the door.

Stepping out, I saw that several lengths of heavy, colorful fabric had been spread out along the center of the green. Upon these, several dishes of food had been placed, as well as jugs of assorted beverages. Places were set with plates, cups, forks, and spoons along either side and at each end. Villagers were arriving, and each family brought at least one large bowl or platter of food to share, placing it with the others before choosing seats on the grass for themselves. In addition, servants came and went from Rishi’s house, bearing still more food and drink. Rishi and Sharmila had already taken their places in the center of one side of the cloths, and it was there that Chanda and Avani headed.

Avani sat next to her brother, and I sat at her side. Chanda indicated that Dylas should sit next to Sharmila, but when she started to walk away, he grabbed her hand. “Hey, where are you going?” he asked, scowling with puzzlement.

She turned red and glanced around. “Some people don’t like me to eat anywhere near the Prince. I’m not good enough for a place of honor,” she explained, bitterly.

“Fuck that,” Dylas said, pulling her down next to him. “You’re Avani’s friend, aren’t you? And Rishi’s and Sharmila’s, right? And you’re _my_ friend, now, too. So sit with us. Who cares what anyone else thinks or says?”

She stared at him openmouthed, then peered around Dylas at Sharmila and Rishi. Sharmila smiled at her, and said, “Stay, Chanda. Rishi and I have never asked you to leave. That was always your own doing. You know that you are always welcome in our home and at our table.”

Across from us, an older man sputtered and rose to his feet, his quiet wife joining him after a brief hesitation. “Going somewhere, Somu?” Rishi asked him in a voice like silk.

“Well…. Well, yes! Yes, I am, my lord. If you intend to allow that… that… that devil’s spawn to sit and dine among us as if she was one of us, then I for one won’t tolerate it!” he exclaimed huffily.

Rishi turned towards him, serene as usual, and replied, “Zitamaya may have his faults, Somu, but I’d hardly call him a devil.”

“My lord! You know what I mean. I’m talking about her accursed eye, the mark of a devil!” he said, affronted.

“Do you mean to say that you consider a mere physical difference, something she was born with and has absolutely no control over, to be grounds for excluding her from our society? Do you suggest that she is somehow less than the least among us, simply because her eyes are not like your own?”

“Yes, I do—you know as well as I what that mark means! She shouldn’t be here—she’s not like the rest of us.”

Turning his face towards Chanda and smiling at her, Rishi commented, “And yet, we are not so different, are we, my sister-friend?” Again facing the red-faced man across from him, he continued. “By your own admission, differences from the norm are grounds for banishment from our tribe. Yet how is she any different than me? She has two perfectly good eyes of differing shades, I have eyes that match but are nearly useless. We were both born the way we are, and neither of us can help our differences. Do you suggest that I, your Ra’mara and the only son of the previous Ra’mara, should also be banished from our tribe?”

His face changing from scarlet to ashen in a heartbeat, Somu quickly sat down. “N-no, my lord! Of course not! I… I didn’t mean… I hadn’t looked at it that way, of course. But still… the red eye!”

“…is just as beautiful and functional as the green, I’m certain. And that alone should be cause for joy.” And with that, he turned his attention elsewhere, leaving the old man and his wife to eat their meal in an uncomfortable silence.

Rishi next exchanged whispers with Sharmila, which from her glances up and down the crowds of people on either side of the lengths of cloth, concerned the attendance. Apparently satisfied that all who were coming had arrived, he stood and called for quiet. “My beloved Ventunara and Ventunisi, I have called you here for several reasons. But most of these can wait until you have eaten your fill. So please, eat, drink, tell stories, sing songs, and enjoy yourselves. Before you begin, however, I would like to present to you once again your Princess, the Lady Avani kumari Acanda, who has at last returned to us, and her husband, Sir Leon Drake of Selphia.” He gestured towards his sister, then helped her to her feet. I could hear a few scattered gasps—she had not attempted to hide her pregnancy even a little, and if anything, had chosen to emphasize it instead. I stood, as well, and placed my arm around her waist for support, both physical and mental. She bowed her head to the crowd to either side, and taking a cue from her, I nodded my head towards the villagers who sat staring at us, mouths agape. Then I helped her to sit again and resumed my seat next to her. Still standing, Rishi added, “All else can wait until we have finished our meal. Now please, eat, before the food suffers from the indignity of our inattention.”

With Avani’s guidance, I helped myself to several dishes, none of which were familiar to me. The tribe appeared to eat no meat, save a little fish. Even eggs were featured in only a few dishes. The rest utilized a wide selection of vegetables, fruits, grains, and pulses, as well as some dairy and plenty of spices. Of course, I had always detested dairy foods for their blandness, but I found that I didn’t mind the use of milk and yoghurt in this cuisine, because there was nothing the least bit bland about it.

To my other side sat a pretty young child, I would say in her preteens or possibly even her early teens, and beyond her were, I guessed, her family—a middle aged man and woman, who kept stealing surreptitious glances at their daughter in unobtrusive surveillance, two little boys, and an infant in its mother’s arms. Looking shyly at me, the girl said, “Hi, I’m Preity. What was your name again?”

“Leon,” I replied with some amusement. “Pleased to meet you.” She giggled and blushed, then hesitated, apparently wanting to say something but too shy. “Yes? You have a question for me?”

“Are… are you _really_ part jackal?” she asked, turning even pinker, her eyes wide as she looked up at my ears.

“Fox, actually. But no, I’m not part fox. It’s… complicated to explain. To put it simply, I did a favor for the Lady Ventuswill, and part of that favor meant that I was asleep for several centuries while bound to a monster. When I awoke—when Avani rescued me, that is—I found that my long association with that monster left me changed in appearance. The same thing happened to Dylas over there,” and she peered around us to where he sat talking to Chanda and Sharmila while picking out cubes of dense, white cheese from a red sauce. “Only in his case, he was attached to a horse-like monster. But I’m not part fox, nor is he part horse. We’re both entirely human. We just… look a little different, that’s all.”

“Is… is that why he doesn’t mind the redeye?” she asked, genuinely curious.

“Preity!” the young boy next to her reprimanded his older sister. “You know you aren’t supposed to talk like that, it’s rude!”

“But I want to know!” she protested, pouting.

I laughed a little and replied, “It’s okay, kids. You see, in the town where we come from, people don’t judge others based on their appearances. It doesn’t matter if you’re old or young, handsome or ugly, or if you have handicaps or scars or diseases. What matters to us is what people are like on the _inside_. Of course, I can only speak for that town—I can’t vouch for everyone everywhere.”

The girl opened her mouth to say something more, but just then, her mother leaned forward. “Preity! Pran! Stop bothering our guest and eat your food.” And that put an end to our short conversation.

* * *

 

Once the meal had ended, the servants rose and collected the dishes before returning with platter after platter of fruits and pastries and huge pots of tea. Once the tea had been poured and the first cup enjoyed, Rishi set his cup down and stood once again.

“My people, one of the announcements that I must make is that one of our tribe has passed away. Avani’s husband, Bhima kumara Anusa, is no more.” I was astonished by the gasps and cries of dismay that rose from the men and women seated all around us. Had _no one_ really seen him for what he was, known his true nature?

Raising his hand, he said, “Quiet, please, and I will tell what transpired.” He returned to his seat and settled himself while Sharmila poured another cup of tea for him from the pots the servants had left out for refills. I saw Avani had turned pale, so I reached down and held her hand, giving it a firm, reassuring squeeze as her brother began to speak.

“The true tale is a long tale, and far too long for this night. So I will shorten it, though that will leave out many details and make for a less satisfying story.” _Satisfying story?_ I thought, baffled. There was nothing at all satisfying in any aspect of Bhima’s incursion into Avani’s life.

“As some of you are by now aware, the late Ra’mara, Acanda kumara Karan, my father and Avani’s, sent her on a mission of utmost secrecy and importance, choosing her over all others due to her position as our Dragon Knight. While on this mission, she was injured and lost her memory. She recalled nothing of her people, her family, her home, or her past, so she settled in the town wherein resided the blessed dragon Ventuswill. She made a new life for herself, new friends, lovers, and in time, a new family—Sir Leon and their soon-to-be-born twin children. She performed many great deeds during these years, and her fame was such that it even reached the attention of the King of Norad, in whose lands our tribal lands are situated.

“Then one day, her tribal husband, Bhima, learned of her whereabouts and set forth to reclaim her and bring her back to his home. She refused, choosing a life among the videziya to returning to him. As a few of you may have known, her life with Bhima was neither easy nor happy, and she did not wish to return to such unhappiness when she was well content with her new life.

“Bhima would not be denied what he insisted was his due, however, and he kidnapped the Lady Avani. He took her far away from those who love her—both Ventuani and videziya—and he imprisoned and dishonored her. Her husband, Sir Leon, and her friend and former lover, Sir Dylas Powell of Selphia, both fearless and determined Knights of the realm of Norad and renowned warriors, together with myself, the Mother Sharmila, and our friend Chanda kumari Zitamaya, gave chase. Leon, moving with the speed and stealth of a leopard on the hunt, caught Bhima in the act of violating his wife.

“Challenging his adversary to fight him to the death, as was his prerogative, Leon faced Bhima alone. The fight was brief and savage, ending with Bhima disarmed and incapacitated. However, before Leon could deliver the final blow, Avani stepped forward and prevented one husband from killing the other. She demanded that vengeance was hers and hers alone to claim, and before any could move to prevent her, she healed Bhima and cast the nullification spell, Virtsati. It was then that we realized that Avani had been consumed by battlelust.”

I heard several excited exclamations and some murmuring at this point, and Rishi paused to take a sip of tea before raising his hand to again call for silence. When all was still, he resumed his story.

“Avani fought her husband well. Her fighting skills had improved over the past three years to such an extent that she was virtually unstoppable—even pregnant with twins, she was more than a match for Bhima. Then he had a stroke of luck and managed to catch hold of her leg, proceeding to hurl her into the ground and nearly into unconsciousness. There, before our eyes, he attempted to violate her yet again—yet she was not as helpless as he believed. She fought him off and cast a spell that consumed him from the inside out. This is all that now remains of Bhima kumara Anusa!” And he held aloft the amulet that had been left behind after Bhima’s dissolution.

From a short ways down the line opposite us, I heard a shriek and a loud hiss, and looking that way, I saw a beautiful woman a few years older than Avani leaping to her feet. She had long, dark hair and black eyes, bronzed skin and voluptuous curves, and her face was contorted with grief and rage. “No! You lie! Bhima was more a man than any of _you_ —a cripple, a seer, a demonspawn, a whore, and two half-breeds! He could have taken you all on at once and prevailed—in a _fair_ fight!” A woman who sat on her left side remained seated but nodded her agreement, her face similarly disbelieving.

Avani slowly rose to her feet, graceful even in her condition, and looked haughtily at the other woman. “Do you call me a liar, Kamini kumari Jahnu? I know you desired my husband; would that he had returned your advances—perhaps it would have brought me some respite!”

Livid, Kamini spat on the grass. “I do call you a liar, because you _are_ a liar! I know Bhima better than that, and I _know_ that he loved me as I loved him! In time he would have come around, would have seen you for the _whore_ that you are and turned to me instead! If _you_ killed him, you killed him by trickery, not by any prowess! And he never would have laid a violent hand on you, except when you earned it—he was ever chivalrous, was Bhima—as splendid as he was beautiful!”

Avani slowly walked around the long line of villagers, clear to the end and back up to where Kamini stood glaring balefully at her. Standing between Kamini and her still-seated friend, Avani looked at them. “You malign me with your accusations. Therefore, Kamini kumari Jahnu and Suma kumari Javas, I will show you evidences.” Then she gripped the two women by their shoulders and shouted out the teleportation spell, and they disappeared from sight.

At their disappearance, the villagers collectively gasped and sprang to their feet, and there was an excited commotion over the unusual proceedings. Several minutes passed and the shadows began to lengthen into twilight before the three reappeared.

Suma immediately ran into the forest, and we could hear the sound of retching. A man, presumably her husband or lover, ran after her, and a matronly woman followed behind. Kamini, meanwhile, her face blanched to a ghastly white, sank to the ground, her eyes averted. Avani stood over her for a moment, a strange, scornful look in her eyes, before returning and resuming her seat in silence. Someone apparently asked Kamini if she believed Avani now, because she cast a quick, nervous glance in our direction before nodding. “Y-yes. She… I-I believe she’s telling the truth,” she stammered faintly, then she just sat, huddled and wan, and refused to speak again for the remainder of the evening.

Rishi, who had remained seating during the commotion, now stood, and staring straight ahead, he called out, “Are there any among us who still doubt the truth of Avani’s story?” And if any still harbored such doubts, there were none who admitted to them.

After waiting a few moments, Rishi nodded, satisfied. “Then the last thing I wish to announce, my people, is that, as the new Ra’mara, it is my intent to do what those before me could or would not do: rejoin the outside world. For too long have we lived in insulated isolation—for too long have we hidden our light from the world. We have much to offer the outside world, and I believe that it would be to our mutual benefit.

“In my search for my sister, I met a prince of the kingdom in which we reside—an intelligent, well-grounded young man called Arthur. I brought him to our village for a brief visit, though few of you met him and none of you knew his identity. Since then, I have been in discussions with him, and I will soon meet with his father, the King of Norad, to determine how best to attain official recognition as an autonomous principality and protected state within the kingdom . For now, though, go home to your beds, let my words sink in and simmer in your thoughts while you sleep, and we will meet here again tomorrow after the midday meal. May the stars bring you all restful dreams and blissful repose.” And with that, he turned and walked towards his house, with Sharmila on his arm.

Looking around after his departure, I noticed many who looked shocked, a great many who seemed either pleased or at least eager for the change, and a few who looked worried. The ones that caught my attention the most, however, and caused me the greatest concern, were those few who gathered together at some small remove from the rest of the tribe and looked darkly at each other while saying little. I noted that the number was small, and that the youngest member of this group appeared to be nearly twice my age. Still, they all appeared hale, hearty, and vigorous, not to mention well-muscled. I noticed that Dylas was likewise observing this group, and when I caught his eye, he nodded slowly, a somber look in his eyes.

We rose and headed for the house, Avani and Chanda following us. Once inside, Avani turned to me. “Did you notice those older men? They looked as if they were up to no good.”

“I’m sure they weren’t,” Chanda said, frowning. “Vidhur is their leader. He was a great friend of your father’s and your grandfather’s, but he strongly disapproves of Rishi’s ‘notions’. He was also a great admirer of Bhima’s,” she added.

“I don’t think it would be advisable for Rishi to sleep in his own room tonight,” I mused, looking towards the stairs.

Avani looked concerned, but said, “Perhaps not. Anyway, it certainly won’t hurt for him to sleep elsewhere. Should we place a guard with him?”

“Yeah, good idea,” Dylas said. “I don’t know anything about the guards here, though, so maybe _we_ should be his guards tonight. We’re all good fighters, and he can trust us more than anyone.”

We all agreed, and hurried up to Rishi’s room. He looked solemn at our intelligence, and agreed that it would be a wise precaution to change rooms for the night. Avani suggested that everyone stay in our room, as it was the largest bedroom after his own, and so it was agreed. Sharmila, Avani, and Chanda would share the large bed, while Dylas, Rishi, and I would bed down on the floor, with Rishi placed between me and Dylas for safety’s sake.

As he left his room, Rishi paused to cast some spell, then locked the door, bringing the key with him. Once we were all in his room, he said, “I cast an alarm spell. If anyone enters my room, by means magical or mundane, he or she will trigger the alarm. Then at least we will know if there is cause for concern.”

Sharmila had brought in bedding gleaned from other bedrooms and made beds on the floor for the three of us. Then the ladies all piled into the large bed together while we gents stretched out on the floor. We were all so tired, that no one seemed to mind the crowded quarters, and everyone fell asleep quickly—or at least I did, and I know Avani fell asleep even before me.

* * *

 

I awoke sometime in the night to odd, slightly muffled sounds. They were too faint to disturb the rest of the sleepers, but my hearing was far more acute. I swiveled my ears this way and that, trying to determine if the sounds indicated any danger or if they were normal nocturnal noises here in the village.

Then I jumped slightly upon hearing my name, and realized it was Avani, apparently talking in her sleep. “Mmmmm… oh, Leo….” followed by a small sigh. A moment later and she seemed to be moaning and gasping slightly, so, concerned, I turned my head to better see her. The room was as dark as the night, but the starlight shining through the window was just barely enough light for my vulpine eyes, and after a moment of adjustment, I could see well enough to make out the forms of my sleeping companions.

I could see Avani where she slept at the edge of the bed, and I could see a shape hovering over her. After a moment of concentration, I saw a glimmer of silver and realized that it was Chanda leaning over her, as if whispering to her. Upon focusing my vision, she seemed to be caressing Avani. No, check that—she was _making love_ to her, kissing her breasts and, judging from the movement under the covers below Avani’s belly, she was doing a good deal more besides.

Just then, Chanda leaned in and kissed her mouth… but before I could shout in protest, Avani startled awake. With a shriek, she cast an energy spell, blasting Chanda off of her, and in fact, off of the bed entirely, dragging the blankets with her. She landed in a heap on the floor, sprawled across our feet, naked and stunned. Sharmila quickly lit the lamp next to her on the far side of the bed, and we all looked at Chanda lying dazed, blinking up at us.

Avani was furious. “ _Chanda_!” she hissed. “How _dare_ you molest me like that, and in my sleep? You’ve taken things too far this time! I’m _married_ , in case you’ve forgotten!”

Recovering her faculties, Chanda flushed. “So what if you are? You’re still allowed to have a lover, male _or_ female! So why not me? You know I love you more than _anyone_! Why can’t you love me, too?”

Rubbing her temples, Avani scowled at her friend. “That isn’t the _point_ , Chanda. You took advantage of me, forced yourself on me when I was asleep and helpless! That’s no better than some of the things Bhima used to do to me. How can you call yourself my friend, yet treat me the same way as _he_ did?”

She started to cry, then, and I struggled to my feet, pushing Chanda away to get free, and hurried over to comfort her. Sharmila sat and looked thoughtfully at Chanda for a few moments, then slowly said, “I think, my dear, that you had best return to your room for the night. Think about what you did, and about what Avani said. Then you two can talk in the morning.”

Chanda looked piteously at Sharmila first, and then Avani, but the former didn’t soften her impassive expression and the latter refused even to look at her. So she rose and gathered her things to leave. At the doorway, she paused and muttered in a hoarse, tremulous voice, “I’m sorry, Avani. I… I really _do_ love you.” And then she pushed open the door and stepped out into the darkness.


	72. Chapter 72

“Chanda! Hey, Chanda, come back!” We all turned to look at Dylas, startled by his outburst as he jumped up. He dove for the door and pulled her back in. “Listen, I don’t know what happened—I was asleep, then there was an explosion or something that woke me up, and all I could tell was that Avani was mad at you about something—”

“Damn, you _are_ a sound sleeper,” I interrupted, shaking my head. “Chanda tried to make love to Avani. _While she was asleep_. I woke up just seconds before Avani did and caught her at it, but before I could do anything, Avani woke and blasted her across the room.”

“Yeah, well… okay. Definitely not cool, Chanda. But listen, guys. She’s here—we’re _all_ here—to protect Rishi. Well, she can’t very well do that if she’s asleep in another room, can she? And besides, cut her some slack. She’s had a helluva day. Avani, you have Leo to turn to for comfort. But who does Chanda have? _You’re_ all she has, you know. And she’s only just found you again after thinking you were dead for years. So… while I can’t say I like what she did or approve of it, I _think_ I can kind of understand it. So come on, Avani—you two are lifelong friends. Can’t you just… I dunno, I guess just forgive her this one time or something?”

I just stared at him in surprise. Dylas was so obtuse that whenever he managed to hit the nail on the head, it caught me by surprise. Yet he had a point. Thinking over what he’d said, I could see the sense of it. Chanda’s world had been turned upside down and inside out more times and in more ways in the past few days than I could count. And as Dylas had pointed out, she had no one to lean on when things were confusing or frightening or otherwise upsetting—no one except Avani, that is. Still….

I looked over at my wife, who sat motionless on the bed, staring at the wall, deep in thought. After a few minutes, she said in a terse voice, “Maybe you’re right, Dylas. I don’t know. But it’s not that easy. It was… it was so much like what Bhima used to—”

“No,” Dylas interrupted, shaking his head angrily. “That isn’t fair _or_ true. It’s _nothing_ like that, and you know it. Bhima did what he did because he _liked_ to—he liked hurting you and controlling you, and he wanted to break your spirit. Although I don’t really know for sure _why_ Chanda did what she did, I do know one thing—she didn’t do it for the same reasons Bhima did. She loves you and cares about you, any idiot can see that—even me. And she’d never try to hurt you… I think. But maybe she just didn’t think things through. You know, there were lots of times I hurt you, too. Not because I wanted to or meant to, but just because I… well, I guess because I’m just a klutz. I couldn’t express myself as easily as you could. And I didn’t always think about things—okay, _usually_ didn’t think about things—before doing them. But I never _wanted_ to hurt you, and I think Chanda probably feels the same way.”

Avani looked over at Chanda, who stood naked and red-faced, staring at the floor. I think she likely would have bolted for the door if Dylas hadn’t still held her arm in a firm grip. “Is that so, Chanda? Is what Dylas said the way it is with you, the way you feel?”

Chanda hesitated a moment, then nodded, still staring at the floor. A moment later, she looked up, and there were tears in her eyes. “I… I didn’t mean to scare you or upset you. I just… love you so much, and I just couldn’t bear it anymore. You’re _everything_ to me—family, friend, and lover, or at least I _wish_ you were my lover. I’d always hoped that someday you’d feel the same way about me, but then you… you disappeared, and I thought you were dead. And then yesterday, when you really _did_ die for a little while… and then today when _I_ nearly died … I felt like I just had to… to _try_. If nothing else, the past few days have shown me just how uncertain life is… and I wanted more than anything to take that chance, in case maybe…. But you really don’t, I guess. I… I’m sorry.”

“Oh, Chanda,” Avani said, sighing. “I _do_ love you, you know. You’re like a sister to me, but nothing more. I really am sorry I can’t love you the way you want me to. But I can’t be dishonest with you—I can’t give you hope where there is none.” She looked over to her brother, who sat in silence, listening to the discussion but not partaking of it. Her eyes softened as she watched her twin as he began to nod in exhaustion and lay back down again on his bed, and she said with a faint smile, “Besides, Dylas was right. We _do_ need you here tonight to help protect Rishi. So… you can stay. But….”

“Yes? I promise, I’ll do whatever you ask,” Chanda said, looking eagerly hopeful.

“I… I think I’d prefer you sleep on the floor tonight. I’m sorry, but I just wouldn’t be able to sleep with you beside me, not now,” Avani said looking again at her friend.

Chanda’s face fell, but she quickly disguised her disappointment and nodded acquiescence. “As you wish,” she replied, then she quickly pulled on the plain chemise she’d removed sometime earlier in the night and glanced at the bedding. “Uhh… but, where….”

“There’s enough room here,” Dylas said, heading back to bed. “You can fit in on either side of Rishi.”

She turned a brighter shade of red as she looked at me anxiously. “Oh! Well, I don’t… maybe not….”

I shrugged, then as I lay back down, I said, “Listen, I’m not at all happy with what you did to my wife. But I won’t hold a grudge against you. This is really between you and Avani, and besides—I can’t fault your taste in women.”

Dylas snorted, and she glanced over at him as he lay back down on the other side of Rishi before looking over at Avani and Sharmila. The two women also lay back down, and Avani, seeing her confusion, said, “You’ll be fine, Chanda. I promise. Both Leo and Dylas are very honorable, and neither of _them_ would take advantage of a woman in her sleep.” Then with that parting shot, she closed her eyes and appeared to fall immediately asleep.

Chanda flushed at Avani’s last comment, then she hurried over and climbed in under the blankets on the bedding between Rishi and Dylas, evidently preferring her rescuer to the husband of her would-be-victim as a bedmate for the night.

* * *

 

It was not to be a restful night. Once again, well before the paleness of the pre-dawn, I was awakened by a sound. A shrill whine, so high-pitched I wasn’t certain if the others would even hear it, vibrated in my ears. My ears twitching in irritation, I cautiously sat up. Everyone else was asleep, as best I could tell, but the noise was rapidly increasing in volume while decreasing in pitch. I gently shook Rishi’s arm, and he awoke in an instant. As softly as I could, I whispered, “Do you hear that noise?”

He focused for a moment, then nodded. “Yes. That is the beginnings of my alarm spell going off. It begins softly, so that the intruders will not be alerted as quickly—unless they are expecting it, of course, and listening for it.”

I sprang up, whispering, “Stay here, then. I’ll check it out.”

As I silently stepped towards the door, though, Avani rose and slid out of bed. “Not without _me_ , you won’t,” she whispered fiercely. I shook my head and tried to push her back towards the bed, but she was adamant. “Forget it, Leo. Besides, I can teleport us right into his room.” Then she grabbed my arm and called out the incantation, speaking just above a whisper, and the now-familiar blackness enveloped us.

We materialized in Rishi’s room, which was dimly lit as by a candle or partly shaded lamp. Our sudden appearance caused some commotion and confusion, but I could see more than one man in the room, even if I couldn’t count the number. I heard the sounds of voices crying out the same teleportation spell, and then Avani reached out to grab the man nearest her as he began to incant the spell, taking hold of his arm just as he completed his incantation. I leaped to grab her other arm, and again all was black.

This time we appeared out of doors, in an open space somewhere. The night was as deep as the caverns beneath the Maya Road; the moon was but a silver strand curved against the sky. I felt Avani immediately leap back, in case of attack, and I followed suit. “Leo, use spells!” she cried, and it dawned on me that while we were unarmed and dressed only in our nightwear, we faced a man—or men—with both weapons and armor.

Quickly casting a whirlwind wheel spell, knowing that our opponents would be unable to see them in the darkness, I jumped farther back before looking for Avani. She cast a light spell that hovered high above, illuminating the scene before us. I heard her gasp, and she cried out, “ _Ajit_? How _could_ you? You—you were our father’s friend! You dandled me on your knee when I was a small child… you gave Rishi his first wooden sword! How could you turn against us?”

“I do what I do for the good of the tribe—a duty your brother appears to have forsaken!” the man snarled, then he lunged at her as he drew a long, slender knife from his belt. Avani sprang out of the way, kicking his arm as she flew past and knocking the dagger from his hand. Landing several feet behind him, she turned and faced him as he scurried to grab the weapon, and I prepared to cast a fire wheel. Halfway through the incantation, though, I saw two more men running up behind Avani. I broke off and shouted a warning, and she sprang away to the side and then leaped up into the branches of a tree. I recast the spell, and as the fireballs spun across the rocky ground, scattering our opponents, I took a moment to assess the situation.

I counted four men in total, and glancing up at Avani’s shocked face, I could see that she recognized each of them. They all carried daggers similar to the one drawn by Ajit, and as soon as the fires died back, they closed ranks and descended upon us.

From her lofty perch, I heard Avani begin to incant a spell. A moment later, I realized she was casting the Omni Gate spell, and I leaped back out of the way, standing next to the tree where she crouched. Just in time, too, as a massive portal opened before us, only to close a moment later. Where the portal had blinked in and out, a large monster now stood. Only she didn’t exactly _stand_ , as she had no legs. She had the body of a tremendous serpent, several times larger than the largest constrictor I had ever seen or heard described. But in place of a head, the monster had the upper body of a woman. She turned towards me, and my neck hairs stood on end and I froze as she regarded me with unblinking yellow reptilian eyes, a forked tongue flicking in and out between her full ruby lips. She had four arms, and a jeweled belt around its waist held four sheaths, from which she pulled four long swords. She had large, round breasts, serpentine hair, and her skin and scales all were glossy and dark.

She began to slither towards me, and I stood as if rooted to the spot, unable to move. I heard Avani cast another spell, and the monster stopped in her tracks. She paused, the tip of her tail twitching as if highly agitated, then she slowly began to slide forward again, still imprisoning me within her golden gaze. Avani cast the spell again, and then a third time. Finally the creature stopped, turned, and after a moment, it reluctantly departed. Once again able to breathe, I slumped against the tree, watching in fascinated horror as she slithered away.

Then she spotted our opponents, and they likewise saw her. I heard one of them scream, “Nagani!” Then they, too, appeared to fall under its spell as their doom slowly, elegantly slid across the ground towards them.

Avani leaped down next to me. “That… that was close. I’m so sorry, Leo. I didn’t think to warn you. Never look a nagana or nagani in the eyes. They hypnotize their prey, freezing them and rendering them incapable of movement until it’s too late.”

“Wh… what the…?” I stammered, still shaking off the last traces of the monster’s gaze.

“The nagaani are a race of Monsters, half serpent and half human. They prefer climates such as here, so one occasionally finds them in these mountains. Only rarely, fortunately. They are highly intelligent, which is why it took so many attempts to befriend it. Most monsters don’t require that spell at all to tame, but among those few that do, most only require it to be cast once. Some monsters are too intelligent for it altogether. It ought to last for at least a day, maybe longer. That should be enough time… she will eat well tonight.” And with that, she turned away, and as the first screams rang in my ears, she cast the teleport spell, returning us to our room in her brother’s house.

* * *

 

When we appeared in our room, we found the others awake—disturbed by our earlier commotion. Avani immediately returned to bed, her small store of energy already depleted by her spellcasting. I sat next to her and put my arm around her for warmth while she explained what had happened.

“We found men in your room, Rishi. Men we… men we know— _friends_ , or so I had thought. There were three: Ajit, Harit, and Arun. As soon as they realized who we were, they teleported away again, but we managed to catch hold of Ajit just as he teleported and followed them to their rendezvous. They apparently had been using the Rock of the Mahapura as a meeting place; Vidhur awaited them there. We fought them with magic, since we were unarmed and they were not. I summoned a nagani, whom I befriended. I will return tomorrow to send her back to her tribe and see if there are any remains—though I doubt it. She was not the largest nagaani I have seen, but she seemed hungry.

“Nagani? Nagaani? What are those?” Dylas asked.

I shuddered, remembering its petrifying golden eyes. “A nightmare,” I replied. Then I turned to Avani, asking, “That place you named… the name sounds familiar. Was that…?”

She nodded. “Yes, the same place where Bhima met his end.”

* * *

 

The remainder of the night passed uneventfully, and despite my fatigue, I still woke early, though not first. Sitting up and looking around at my slumbering companions, I saw that Sharmila was gone, no doubt to see to the day’s work. Avani was still sound asleep, though, lying on her side and curled protectively around her belly, her long green hair spread across the blanket and pillow.

Next to me, Rishi lay on his back, one arm thrown over his face. Dylas slept on his side, his back to the rest of us, and between the two men, Chanda lay curled up, facing Dylas’s back. I rose carefully, to avoid disturbing the others, and I saw that one of Chanda’s small hands grasped a lock of Dylas’s hair even in her sleep, clinging tightly to it as if it were a charm. I smiled at her unconscious acceptance of her new champion, then I quietly slipped out of the room.

I found Sharmila in the kitchen, which was separate from the rest of the house. She, the cooks, and a few serving maids were all hard at work, preparing not only for the morning meal, but also for the rest of the day’s meals. I could see why it was housed separately—despite the early hour and the open windows and doors, stepping into that kitchen was like stepping into an oven. However, the large room was redolent with the scents of spices that made my mouth water, and unable to resist temptation, I snatched a small morsel from a tray carried by a short, plump woman. She giggled at my audaciousness and offered me another, which I gladly accepted. Turning in time to see that exchange, Sharmila laughingly accused me of charming the socks off her staff while she stepped over to greet me with a kiss on each cheek.

I told her that the others were still asleep, and she asked if I would go wake them, as breakfast would be ready soon. Nodding as I popped the second bite-sized pastry into my mouth, I headed back to our room to roust the others from their rest.

* * *

 

After breakfast, Avani said she would return to the Rock to see to the monster that she had summoned. I wondered how she could just leave it like that—if she wasn’t concerned about it straying and wreaking havoc. But when I asked her, she just gave a wry smile and said, “No predator is going to wander off in search of food when it has that much prey just sitting there for the taking, and once she’s eaten her fill, she will need to rest for some time.”

I shuddered at the thought of its foul appetite, then insisted on coming with her—just in case. Dylas and Chanda wanted to come along, too, and with some reluctance, Avani finally agreed. Dylas, I suspected, was merely curious about the monster, though he might think of it more in terms of ‘threat assessment’. I wasn’t sure why Chanda insisted on accompanying her, though, unless it was simply hoping for the opportunity to make amends for last night’s reckless behavior. Gathering us around her, she said, “First, though, I have something I need to check on.” Then she cast the spell, and a split-second later we appeared before an isolated farmhouse.

The house was constructed chiefly of some tan stone, and the metal roof was painted red and, as with Rishi’s house, extended over the wide porch. The doors and window trim were all painted bright red, too, and there was a second floor on just one side of the house. The house was neat and well-cared for, but it lacked the splendidly extravagant gardens of the other houses I’d seen. Turning to Avani, I saw that she looked pale, then noticed Chanda clenching her fists as she glared balefully at the house.

“Is this…” I began to ask, though I hardly needed to.

“Yes,” she replied tersely. “This was Bhima’s house. _Our_ house.” Then she stalked up the path to the door, and I saw a well-muscled man standing before the door, watching us as we approached. She stopped in front of him, saying, “Dhanu. I need to take a look at something. I doubt I’ll have time to inspect the house until tomorrow, but I assure you that I will do so as soon as possible, so that you and Vimal can return to your homes. In the meantime, I apologize for the inconvenience.”

“No apology is needed, Lady,” the man rumbled as he stepped to the side with a nod. “Our allegiance is to the Ra’mara, your brother.” And I noted a slight emphasis on the word ‘our’ and wondered at its implications.

Inside, the floors were tiled and strewn with colorful rugs. The ochre walls were hung with many paintings, and a number of shelves and small niches held an assortment of objets d’art—some beautiful, some grotesque, others decidedly degenerate.

Avani led us to a heavy wooden door near the back of the house, then pulling a key ring from her rucksack, she selected a large brass key and unlocked the door. The room into which we filed was apparently a study—large bookcases, blackened with age, lined the walls and contained a wealth of scrolls, books, codices, and parchments. A large table dominated the room, with a single oversized leather chair behind it and a pair of wooden seats before it. Beneath the windows in the far window were heavy wooden cabinets, and it was to one of these that Avani went. Kneeling before it, she tried several keys in the lock—but none fit. Thumping her fist on the top of the cupboard in frustration and anger, she jumped when a small hidden drawer, built into the trim of the cabinet, popped slightly open. She pulled the drawer open, and inside was a small metal ring holding a few keys. She pulled it out and tried these in the lock, and on the third attempt, the lock clicked and the door swung open.

Inside the cabinet on the upper shelf was a large leather-bound folio, and a row of ledgers was neatly arranged on the lower shelf. She pulled out the folio, carefully closed and locked the cupboard again, dropped the key rings into her bag, and sat down at the table—avoiding the leather seat and choosing one of the wooden seats instead. Flipping through until she found the last entry, she lay the book open and began to skim the pages, going backwards through the entries. The writing was in a neat, elegant hand, but the script itself was illegible to me. Apparently, although the Ventuani spoke the common tongue, their writing was made with an ancient script—similar to, yet distinct from, the one that I had learned in my youth.

Avani noticed me hovering over her shoulder and glanced up at me. I smiled and said, “Please excuse me, My Lady. I was admiring the handwriting and trying to decipher the script—I don’t recognize it, neither from the present nor from my past.”

She turned the folio a little so that I could better see it. “We learn two scripts here: the modern script, or rather our version of it, and an ancient script. It’s a descendant of the script that was used when our kingdom was in its prime, and likely distantly related to the script that you learned as an ancient, defunct script in your childhood—different branches from the same root. Many of our writings are in the older script, which is why some of us are still taught it. However, even among those few who learn it, not all can read it well, so it’s useful for more… private communications.” I nodded my head as I glanced down the rows. That seemed entirely plausible to me.

I straightened up and with an apologetic look, said, “My apologies—I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” And she smiled at me before returning to her perusal.

Dylas and Chanda, meanwhile, stood at one of the windows, which framed a view of a yard, a few outbuildings, and a large kitchen garden. Beyond those lay brilliant green fields of what looked like recently sprouted grain, though it was difficult to say what the crops were so early in their growth. I joined them, and looking out the window, with nothing but fields and forest as far as one could see, I thought to myself what a lonely and prosaic life it must have been for someone as outgoing and adventurous as Avani. I commented on it, and Chanda replied, “Bhima found the remoteness… useful.” I shuddered, and Dylas swore under his breath.

Before any of us could further comment, Avani exclaimed, “Aha! Found it!” We turned to look at her, and she had a triumphant, almost exultant, look on her face. “I have all I need now. Give me a few minutes to look in on the animals, then we can go.”

She handed the book to me and hurried out the front door, the rest of us close behind. Asking us to wait there on the porch, she darted around the corner of the house. A minute later, I could hear her voice calling out, and a chorus of squawks, grunts, lows, and bleats responded eagerly. After perhaps a quarter of an hour, she returned, still at a run, and calling out her thanks to the guard at the door, she led us a little ways down the path.

As she reached for our hands, I asked, “Why did you leave before teleporting? Why not just teleport from the house?”

She raised an eyebrow and replied, “The seers cast Virtsati—the nullification spell—over the house to prevent anyone from teleporting into or out of it before I had a chance to… inventory the contents. And this journal is the most compelling reason why someone might.” Then she cast the teleport spell, and once again we stood on the open plain on top of the Rock of the Mahapura.

* * *

 

I looked anxiously around the barren landscape, feeling my skin crawl at the thought that _somewhere_ up here was that horrific monster. Then I spotted it a short distance from us, just as Avani did, and just as _it_ spotted _us_. It slowly raised its grotesquely feminine torso, weaving side to side as it turned its gaze up on us and drew its four swords. I saw that its body was greatly distended and again shuddered. “Remember—don’t look into its eyes!” Avani called in warning, and I quickly averted my gaze from those glittering orbs. It began to uncoil from its resting place, slithering along the ground towards us, hissing as it tasted our scents. Then it stopped, pulling back from us slightly, then flickered its tongue as it turned towards Avani, considering for a moment. The friendship spell held, and it sheathed its swords and waited.

I glanced over at Dylas, who was white-faced and slack-jawed as he stared at the monster. He shook his head as if to clear it, then mumbled, “What the fucking hell….”

Chanda looked at him, then waved her hand before his eyes. He blinked a few times, then took a step back. “ _That_ ,” she said, looking again at the coiled shape before us, “is a Nagani. It’s best to avoid them.”

Dylas nodded slowly. “Uh-huh. Yeah. No argument here.”

Avani stepped up to the monster, who even as it reclined on its coils still towered over her. “My Lady Nagani, it is now time to return to your home and your people. I thank you for your friendship, and wish you well in the future.”

The creature opened her ruby lips, and replied in a sibilant yet strangely lyrical voice, “Child of the Wind, it has been my delight to serve you thus.”

Startled, Avani stared at her for a moment. Then, stepping back, she cried out “Ayatana Vatayana!” and a large portal appeared before the monster. It drew the creature to it even as she slithered towards it, then both monster and portal vanished, leaving the four of us alone on the plain.

Only not _quite_ alone. Looking around, I saw four long daggers on the ground near where the Nagani had lain, and a little farther off, I saw two corpses. Recognizing them as two of the men we’d fought the night before, I stepped closer to examine them while Avani collected their weapons.

To my complete surprise, one of them moved.

I jumped, badly startled, then moved closer to examine the body, which lay face down. Kneeling next to him, I cautiously rolled him over. He was severely wounded, his shirt and the skin beneath slashed to shreds and the dusty earth beneath him had turned to wine-colored mud. His face was ashen, and his open eyes stared vacantly, locked into an expression of horror.

I had all but decided I had been mistaken, when I felt it—felt a twitch in his shoulder as it rested in my hand. With a yelp, I cried out, “This one’s still alive!” A moment later, the others were all crowded around us. I held an ear against his gory chest, listening… and just _there_ , a heartbeat—so faint, I’m not sure I could have heard it without my augmented hearing. Quickly, I cast a healing spell on him, and as soon as I was done, Avani cast one, too, and then Dylas. We took it in turns, healing him until his heart was beating more strongly and his breathing came more regularly.

As he regained consciousness, he suddenly convulsed and screamed, struggling to move, to escape while looking about him in stark terror. Restraining him, I spoke calmly and soothingly to him until his fit passed and he looked about him with dawning recognition. He saw Avani and shrank away, uncertain of her intentions, but she merely stood, picked up the folio from where I’d dropped it on the ground beside me, and held out a hand to us. “Come on, let’s get back to the house so Sharmila can take a look at him.” I stood and lifted the injured man in my arms, holding out a hand to clasp hers. Chanda grabbed Dylas’s arm, and the two women cast the teleportation spell, returning us to the lawn in front of Rishi’s house.

Once inside, Avani ran for Sharmila while I carried him to the same room where Chanda had been taken after her encounter with the mukara. As I carefully lay him on the chaise, Sharmila burst in, and seeing the traces of his wounds and his grey pallor, she gasped in shock. She knelt down and quickly cast the same deep healing spell she’d used on Chanda.

When she was done, she turned to us with a raised eyebrow. “I see the Nagani missed one at least. And the others?”

“Harit’s corpse lies atop the Rock. Of the others, there was no trace, save their weapons.” Avani held up the quartet of daggers.

“I see. I will heal him as best I can.”

“I don’t get it—wasn’t he plotting against Rishi?” Dylas asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

Sharmila smiled as she replied, “Yes. But we serve the God of _Creation_ , not the God of _Destruction_.” Then looking back down at her patient, she grew more serious. “However, the one Arun will need to successfully petition is the Goddess of Transformation, Morphé, who presides over that place between life and death.”

* * *

 

We left the traitor to Sharmila's ministrations, and Avani left, returning a few minutes later without the folio. She gestured for us to follow, then went back outside. She looked at Chanda, then at me as she said, "I think now Chanda and I need to have a talk."

Chanda blanched slightly, but showed no other sign of nervousness, though I could smell fear, pungent and sharp, exuding from her. I scowled, feeling myself reacting to her fear with hostility, and said, “Let me come with you, My Lady.”

Avani shook her head. “No, Leo, we need to talk alone. Don’t worry, love, I’m awake this time, and besides—I’m sure there won’t be a repeat of last night’s…”

“Attempted rape?” I said, drily, as she hesitated, earning an angry look from Dylas.

Before he could protest, though, Avani raised her hand. “Both of you, please calm down. Don’t be so hard on her, Leo. I’m no longer as angry as I was last night, and I realize that my assessment was not entirely kind. But we _do_ need to reach an understanding, or our friendship will become strained beyond endurance or repair. And we need to do so in privacy. We’ll return as soon as we can, I promise.” Then she kissed me, and took Chanda’s hand in hers. She cast the teleportation spell, and they disappeared before our eyes.

I let out a deep sigh, and Dylas snorted. “They’re sure making a lot of fuss over nothing,” he said, scowling at the empty space they left behind.

I turned and faced him, feeling my anger rising again. “ _Nothing_? It is _not_ ‘nothing’—don’t you get it? Damn it, Dylas, I know you’re dense, but….” I sighed again, then continued, still glaring at him. “Look, she spent _four years_ of her life being raped and beaten by someone who was _supposed_ to take care of her. She had nowhere to go, no one to help her. The one man that _might_ have helped her was murdered; her brother was helpless and her father turned his back on her. Can you even imagine what that must have been like for her? And then she had that accident and lost her memory, and she spent three years—three _happy_ years—safe from that monster… only to have him find her and brutalize her again. Then finally— _finally!_ —she’s free of him, finally free of the abuse and the rapes and… _everything_ , and one of her closest, dearest friends tries to have sex with her while she’s asleep! Try to think what that must have been like for her, waking up to find Chanda doing _that_ to her, and in that way!” I started pacing, more from pent-up fury than from anxiety. “You know, if it had been _you_ instead of Chanda, no one would be pleading for lenience on your behalf—and very likely you’d be dead, or at least wishing you were. Why should she be treated any differently?”

Dylas stood silent for a few minutes, thinking. After a short while, he turned and looked off towards the woods, saying, “Okay. Yeah, I see what you’re saying. And saying that being married to that asshole must have sucked is a huge understatement, I know.” I snorted in disbelief, but he pressed on. “I _know_. But you know, she’s strong—she’s a survivor. Not many women could have pulled through all that, you know. She’s… she’s like one of those gemstones you sometimes find in the volcanoes—most things would just burn up into ashes in those fires, but some things instead turn into rare gems. That’s what _she’s_ like—all her suffering, as horrible as it was, and as much as I wish she hadn’t had to go through all that… it just made her stronger and… well, more beautiful, more… more _pure_ inside. Like it burned away all the inferior crap that most people carry around and left her as close to perfect as you can get.”

“But now _you_ try to think of _Chanda_. Like I said before, she’s had a hard time, too—we don’t even really know just how bad, but if her old man was trying to sell her off as some kind of a sex slave, it sure as hell wasn’t good. And while she’s strong, too, I don’t think she’s _as_ strong. I mean, not many are, right? So she’s had a hard life right from the start, and then her best friend—the only person who genuinely loved her—vanishes and is declared dead by her twin, the one person who would know that for sure. Can you imagine that? She must have felt so… so lost, so _hopeless_. And then, three years later—three _long_ years of suffering and neglect—she discovers it was all a _lie_ , that her friend, the person she loved most in all the world, is _not_ dead, but alive and well and living a happy life far away from her and with no memory of her at all. And just when she _finally_ gets her friend back, she loses her again to that white-haired _dickwad_. And then her friend _actually_ _dies_ —only to revive a short while later. You didn’t see her, man—didn’t see how it tore her up. I know, you had other stuff on your mind—I get that. But I was there with her when Avani collapsed. It tore me all to pieces inside when that happened, but it was even worse for her.

“So finally after all this—all the losing and finding over and over again—her friend is really back and free of the son-of-a-bitch for good, and life throws _another_ shitball at her—this time _she_ nearly dies. So come on, can you _really_ blame her? I know it was fucked up of her to try that while Avani was asleep, but I think she was scared that Avani would say no if she just came right out and asked. I don’t think she could have handled that rejection right then, you know? I think she was hoping that by just _doing_ it, somehow Avani would go along with it, and she probably didn’t think it through—kind of like some of the shit I’ve pulled. And yeah, all that wouldn’t be cool back in Selphia, but the rules are _different_ here. It’s not fair to expect Chanda to act like we do.”

Then he turned and looked at me, an oddly penetrating look in his hazel eyes, as he continued. “And you know… Avani grew up that way, too. You gotta keep in mind that now she has her memory back, she may _want_ to take a lover—it’s how she was brought up, after all.”

I stared at him in open-mouthed shock. Truthfully, the idea had never crossed my mind that Avani, my own beloved wife, might indeed wish to exercise what she had been raised to believe was her right, and turn to another for the intimacy that I had come to view as my exclusive privilege. And I did not find the idea the least bit palatable.


	73. Chapter 73

Avani and Chanda reappeared after perhaps half an hour, their arms around each other’s waists and smiling happily. “We’ve settled our differences, and all’s well,” Avani said, grinning at me. “Now, I’m sorry to run off and leave you, but I must meet with Rishi before the tribe gathers later today. I’ll see you at the midday meal, if not sooner.” Then she gave me a quick kiss, and she was off.

I spent the morning perusing the Ra’mara’s library, which was extensive and full of ancient texts. By lunch time, I felt I had at least a rudimentary grasp of the elder script used by the Ventuani, though perhaps not quite solid enough to read any of the hundreds of books and scrolls on his shelves written in it.

Meanwhile, Dylas had gone with Chanda to teach her to fish. He’d asked her where the good fishing spots in the area were, and when she shrugged and replied she’d never been fishing, he was shocked—perhaps even horrified. So he asked her to take him to a nearby river or stream, saying that he could teach her how to spearfish, just as I’d once taught him. I declined to join them, and as they disappeared into the woods, I could hear him enthusiastically extolling the many virtues of his favorite pastime.

Avani and Rishi arrived a few minutes late to the midday meal. Rishi wore his usual calm expression, yet I could see that beneath his mild expression, his facial muscles were tensed. Avani looked angry—furious, even, her sea green eyes snapping with an emerald fire. She glanced at me as she sat beside me, and her eyes softened momentarily. “It’ll be okay,” she reassured me, placing her hand on mine, then her eyes again glittered coldly as she looked over her shoulder towards Rishi’s study. She said nothing further, though, and conversation during the meal was general—largely centered around Chanda’s fishing lesson. Despite their rocky start, the two of them seemed to be discovering some common ground.

After the meal, Rishi returned alone to his study to prepare for the meeting, and Sharmila hurried to oversee the servants in the kitchen as they prepared tea and other refreshments for the tribe. Dylas and Chanda went to clean their morning’s catch to be cooked for the evening meal, and I took Avani’s hand and proposed a walk. We slowly wandered through the village, hand in hand, and she pointed out places and introduced me to people as we went, telling me relevant anecdotes as we strolled along the dirt road. Finally she stopped at the edge of the forest, and stood looking down the path where it vanished into the green depths for a long moment before abruptly turning and walking away. Seeing my curious expression, she gave me a half smile. “That path leads to Sundara’s house.”

I gave her hand a sympathetic squeeze. “And you’re not ready yet?”

“I’m not ready yet,” she agreed, and we returned the way we came.

* * *

 

The tribe had already begun to gather when we reached the green, and it was full of people milling around, forming little groups as they shared the latest news and gossip. At the far end of the green, I could see a small group had clustered around Dylas and Chanda—and from what I could see of Dylas, he was not pleased.

As we drew closer, I could hear a man’s voice declaring angrily, “It’s because they’ve been associating with… with _freaks_ like you and that dog-eared creature, not to mention ol’ redeye here, that everything’s going wrong now! You’ve led them away from us, from everything we believe, everything we stand for, and now the tribe is falling apart… all because of _you_!”

Dylas opened his mouth to respond, his eyes flashing, but Chanda’s voice rang out. “How _dare_ you? Dylas and Leon are _ten times_ the man you are, Chatur, or ever will be! You should have seen Leon as he fought against Bhima, who was easily the strongest fighter in the tribe. But he was no match for Leon’s speed and skill and power! And Dylas—Dylas killed a mukara _single-handed_! He crushed it in his arms, snapping its bones, then he struck it with bolts of lightning, and it died. Who among _you_ is man enough to even _face_ a mukara alone, let alone defeat it?”

There was a little resentful muttering, then another voice grumbled, “Well, that just proves it, doesn’t it? Unnatural magics, unnatural strength, unnatural _people_! You’re a bad influence on them, on Rishi and Avani—they should have had more sense than to take up with all of you!”

As he spoke, we reached the edge of the group, and with a face like thunder, Avani reached out and grasped the speaker by the shoulder and spun him around. He gasped in shock and his face turned pale when he saw her standing there.

“And _you_ , Gopi, should have more sense than to speak ill of others behind their backs,” she hissed angrily. “These three are dear to my heart, and if you take issue with _them_ , you take issue with _me_. If you have something to say to me, say it to my face—if you _dare_ , you gutless son of an ill-favored snake-fucker!”

Gopi flushed red with anger, and flung her hand from his shoulder. But as he opened his mouth, I interrupted. “You’d better think twice before you speak, pal,” I drawled, looking him over disdainfully. “Not only did Avani defeat Bhima on her own in unarmed combat—while pregnant with twins, at that—she has also defeated clones of three of the Native dragons, and she once took down a demi-god with aspirations of godhood. Probably even the dust that clings to her feet is more robust than you.”

* * *

 

Before any more could be said, however, Rishi and Sharmila appeared and the small group dispersed, still muttering. This time, as there was no meal being served, the tribe seated themselves in two concentric rings. Rishi sat with Sharmila on one side and Avani on the other, and Chanda and Dylas, without needing to be asked, seated themselves behind his back. I saw that Sharmila carried Avani’s rucksack, and once we were all seated, she wordlessly passed it to her.

Rishi raised his hand, and silence fell over the tribe. “For the first order of business, I will make an announcement. Or rather, I will ask my sister, the Lady Avani, to do so.”

Avani stood, still holding her bag, and looked around at the collected tribe, her eyes flinty. “Last night, an attempt was made on the Ra’mara’s life. Three men, in league with at least one other, entered his room subtly and armed. Sir Leon and I followed them, and put an end to their scheme—at least, for now.”

A good many cries and startled exclamations followed her announcement, and not least among them were demands to know their identities and fates. She held up her hand, and as soon as it was again quiet, she said, “The men were all well-known to us, friends of our family… of our father. Ajit, Harit, and Vidhur all met their ends on the Rock of the Mahapura. I summoned forth a Nagani; _these_ are all that remain of them.” And with that, she drew out the four long daggers from her rucksack and threw them down. They stuck into the earth before her, quivering in silent testimony to her words.

A moment later, a woman asked, speaking just barely loud enough for Avani to hear her, “You… you said there was a fourth. What of him?”

Avani turned to look at the woman, her expression still hard, though I saw a brief flicker of sympathy in her eyes. “Arun lives—barely—for now, Ananda. He is under Sharmila’s care; his fate will be determined later… should he survive that long.” The woman bowed her head and nodded, unable to meet her gaze.

Holding her head high, Avani looked over the gathered Ventuani. “There are others of you, and we know now who you are. A conspiracy has been discovered, one which my former husband, Bhima, and my father, Acanda, were the architects—a conspiracy to divest my brother of his place in the tribal succession, replacing him with Bhima, the son-by-marriage of the Ra’mara, instead.”

It was difficult to assess the full impact of her statement on the tribe, other than that the reaction was one of general consternation, because I myself was astonished by her announcement. This then, I realized, was why her father abandoned her so coldly, why her husband was so insistent that she and she alone must be his wife and provide him with sons. Things were starting to fall into place, and I didn’t like the picture they were forming.

Amid demands for proof of such an appalling scheme, Avani again reached into her rucksack. Pulling out the folio, she held it aloft. “This journal was in my former husband’s study, locked away in a cabinet, the key hidden in a secret place. I suspected its existence, and unearthed it after his death. It is written in his hand, using the old writing, and it chronicles the development and progression of this plan. My disappearance and supposed death threw their plot into disarray, as my father deemed it necessary for Bhima’s children to be mine, so that succession would pass through me and my father’s bloodline as the leaders of the Ventuani would be preserved.

“In this book are written notes of secret meetings, those conspirators involved and what their roles were, and lists of those who were approached but refused—some of whom conveniently disappeared afterward—and those who were considered obstacles, most of whom also died or vanished.”

At this announcement, chaos ensued. I spotted three men and a woman bolting for the forest, and a second woman leaped to her feet and charged straight towards Avani. I leaped to my feet to intervene, but before she could reach us, a globe of dark magic appeared before us and homed in on her. She screamed in terror as it relentlessly bore down on her, following wherever she turned, finally gouging a long channel along her arm and across her shoulders before it dissipated.

As we looked on in startled astonishment, a voice from behind us said, “My apologies, Lady Avani, if I’m a trifle late to the party.” Whirling around, I saw Arthur standing behind Dylas, his diamond staff in his hand. At his side stood Forte, who wore a grim expression as she gripped the hilt of her undrawn sword tightly. The prince, however, looked as tranquil as always. It struck me right then that he and Rishi had that in common—the ability to remain not merely calm but serene under nearly all circumstances—and I wondered if that was the mark of a true leader.

Rishi stood, smiling, and said, “People of Ventu, the God of Creation, and of the Divine Wind, this man who stands before you is Arthur D. Lawrence, Thirteenth Prince of the Kingdom of Norad. He has come here to negotiate a treaty with us, one that will allow us to unite with the Kingdom while remaining autonomous. We will have the benefits of the King’s protection, aid in times of need, and access to the goods and services of the Kingdom; in exchange, the Kingdom will benefit from our specialized knowledge and skills. Our people will be able to continue to live as we wish—whether keeping to our old way of life or adopting a new—and to rule ourselves as we have done for millennia, with a few exceptions.” Turning to his sister, I saw his eyes glitter with repressed anger as he said, “Among other things, there will be no more forced marriages among our people.” And then he smiled at her.

Just then, there was a commotion in the surrounding woods, growing increasingly loud as if drawing nearer. A few minutes later, a Selphian soldier stepped out, holding tightly to a loudly protesting man with bound hands. “Sirs,” the soldier said, looking at both Arthur and Rishi, “here is one of the fugitives. We were ready for them when they came running, just as you predicted they would.” Within a few more minutes, all four of the escapees had been gathered together, their hands bound behind their backs to prevent incantations, along with Avani’s would-be attacker, whose injuries had been quietly tended by Sharmila. They stood in the center of the encircling tribe, and Rishi looked towards them, rubbing his chin as he thought. “So there are five of you. It seems to me that we are missing one or two, are we not, my sister?”

Avani looked across the tribe, her eyes narrowed as she scanned the faces there assembled. “Yes, there are two others, the healer’s servant, Bhiru, and Vidhur’s wife, Elakshi. But I do not see either of them here.”

“We will search for them later,” Rishi replied. Then he looked across the green at his subjects, rattled by the afternoon’s disclosures, and he raised his hand to call for quiet. It took a little longer this time, but soon everyone had settled down and looked to him, listening anxiously as he spoke.

“Though his actions cut me to the quick, it is important for us all to remember that my father and several of the others implementing this plot did so out of love for the tribe. They believed I lacked sufficient strength to lead you. But,” he called, holding up his hand to again call for quiet as the crowd again began to murmur, “they either failed to or chose not to recognize that there are other strengths aside from physical prowess. Though some of you may harbor reservations about my course of action, my decision to bring the tribe out of our long seclusion will bring about a new era for our people. The Divine Wind chose to live among the people of Norad for centuries, and she loved them well. Let us now follow her example, as behooves the servants of Ventu.”

Simple though it was, his speech struck a chord with many of the Ventuani, and after a brief moment, they erupted into cheers of concordance. He looked again, thoughtfully, at the men and women in the center of the circle, and once the commotion had died down, he said, “Though I believe none of you five would have hesitated to kill me or my sister, I also believe that, deep down, you are less guilty of treason than of shortsightedness. You have set your faces to the past, and see only what has been. You do not see what is, nor what may be. We cannot live our lives facing backwards, watching the road that lies behind us, never looking at the road that lies ahead. The time has come for you to turn and face the future. Will you walk that path with us, your brothers and sisters, or will you continue to yearn what was lost so long ago, never to be regained?”

Of the five of them, three looked uncertain while two merely glared scornfully. However, none of them responded, so at last Rishi sighed and turned to Avani. “My sister, as the Dragon Knight of the Ventuani, I place these five under your supervision, at least for the present time. What do you wish to be done with them?”

She sat back down and thought for a few minutes, staring at her prisoners with unseeing eyes. Finally she turned to Sharmila. “Rishi was able to do something to block my memories. Is there a way to do something like that, that will instead block rune energy and prevent them from using magic?”

After a moment, Sharmila slowly said, “I believe it _could_ be done. I’m not sure, though, as that is even more specialized than blocking memories. Perhaps the Crone…. Now that I am home, I need to retrieve Pavitra and resume my duties at the shrine. I will speak with the Crone tomorrow. In the meantime, perhaps a circle of nullification?”

Avani nodded. “Thank you, my sister. I will accept your recommendation. Will you cast it for me? As Harit was a widower and lived alone within the village, I believe I will use his house for their confinement. Forte, will you please have your men bring the conspirators along?” Then she and Sharmila rose and departed, and the soldiers followed behind, bringing the prisoners with them.

* * *

 

She returned alone several minutes later, resuming her seat next to me. In a low voice, she explained that Sharmila was first healing the injured woman before casting the nullification spell over the whole house. Afterwards, the Selphian soldiers would stand guard around the house.

Meanwhile, Rishi and Arthur had been conducting what amounted to a question and answer session, and as they spoke, the mood of the tribe appeared to shift from caution, trepidation, and perhaps even some dread, to optimism and enthusiasm. The questions and answers gave way to an impromptu brainstorming session, and the villagers threw out all manner of suggestions—some ridiculous, others more circumspect.

In the midst of the lively palaver, Avani stood, and gesturing me to follow, crept away back into Rishi’s house. She turned to me, looking a little wan. “I need to inspect my houses and their furnishings and decide what I’m going to do with them. Will you… will you please come with me?”

“For moral support?” I said, half jokingly.

“You might say that,” she replied in a strange voice. Then she took my arm and cast the teleportation spell, and all went black.


	74. Chapter 74

As before, we appeared a short distance from the house, the nullification spell preventing us from teleporting directly into it. Asking me to wait a minute, Avani went to speak with the guard, and a moment later, he shouted into the house. A second guard appeared after a few minutes, and after another consultation, both men left and Avani called out for me to come on in.

Once inside, she barred the door, saying, “I want to be certain we’re not interrupted. This… this isn’t going to be easy. Just being in the house at all makes me feel like running fast and far away, even though he’s dead.” I looked at her in surprise, and she blushed and looked away. “I know…. But I wasn’t always as strong as I am now. And being in this place… it brings out my weakness.”

“It’s all right, My Lady,” I replied gently. “I’m here with you.”

She nodded, and took a deep breath as she looked around the entry. “I need to see what is in the house and decide what I want to leave with the house, what I want to give away… and there will be some things that I simply want destroyed, of _that_ I’m certain.” With that, she began to work her way through the house, examining contents of cupboards and closets, making piles of things she wanted to take away.

The house was of a medium size—neither grand nor humble. The entry contained a few pieces of art on the walls, a bench, and a wide, shallow cabinet that held an assortment of boots and shoes. She pulled the footwear out of the cabinet and moved on to the next room, a large sitting room.

This room was furnished with heavy, old furniture, darkened with age, and upholstered with red and gold fabric. Thick red rugs covered the tiled floor, and red and gold cushions were heaped on the benches and sofas as well as strewn about a low table in the center of the room. The walls and shelves were adorned with paintings and decorative weaponry, and a few hideous statues glowered from dark corners. There appeared to be a common theme, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was, exactly. When I inquired, Avani grimaced and said that many of them were depictions of Adon, the Destroyer, and his draconic will, Fiersome. That struck me as peculiar, since the tribe purported to serve Ventu, his adversary, but I had to admit—it suited Bhima’s personality.

All these depictions of Adon and Fiersome she pulled down and threw into a heap, but she otherwise left the room as it was. She did the same with the dining room, then moved on to the kitchen. She gathered all the perishable goods together, tossing out anything that was no longer wholesome, and heaped the food into baskets to take to the needier members of the tribe. Everything else she left, with the exception of some childishly embroidered linens she pulled from the back of a deep drawer. She sighed in relief as she uncovered them, then looked at me sheepishly. “I’m so glad these are still here. I was afraid Bhima or his mother would have worn them out or gotten rid of them.”  
  
“What are they?” I asked, holding my hand out for them to take a closer look. She handed me a set of four tea towels, made from linen and crudely embroidered with stylized fruits and vegetables and flowers.

“That was Chanda’s wedding gift to me. She made them herself, even though she barely knew how to sew, let alone embroider. I know—they’re not much to look at. But of all the gifts given to me, this probably had the most love put into it, and so I treasured them for that reason alone.” She took them from me and folded them carefully, setting them on the counter and smoothing them with a smile before moving to the next room.

Bhima’s study was the next room she tackled, and she sighed and frowned as she looked around. “I suppose many of these books and scrolls would be useful to others. But I still need to inspect the drawers and cabinets. The ledgers, for example, probably would be of no use or interest to anyone else. I’ll need to go over them, to be sure that he owes nothing to anyone.” And with that she dragged the large leather chair away and pulled one of the wooden benches over.

I raised my eyebrow at her as she sat and started sorting through the cabinets along the back wall. “Why don’t you sit in the chair? Surely you’d be more comfortable in it?”

She shivered as she glanced back at the chair. “I… no, I just can’t. Bhima reupholstered that chair himself… and the leather came from my favorite cow.”

I felt sickened by the cruelty of that gesture—although I’d heard many stories, and faced him in armed combat myself, it seemed as if at every turn, I learned of new depths of cruelty and depravity, and I wondered how far he’d sunk—and I wasn’t sure I wanted to find out.

The only other rooms downstairs were the small, efficient bathing room, the adjacent water closet, and a small storeroom. She quickly went through these, throwing out most of the soaps and creams and cosmetics and tossing the rest into a cloth sack. From the storeroom, she collected a few items—a small casket, a chest, and a few books. Stacking them separately, she looked at me and said, “I’m surprised that Bhima didn’t get rid of my things when I disappeared. I can’t imagine why he just stored it instead.” She shrugged, then walked to the stairway that led to the second floor. Taking a deep breath, she slowly began to ascend the steps.

Upstairs was a short hallway with three doors. She went first to the room nearest to the stairs—a bedroom that looked as though it was intended for children. Along the walls were four alcoves, each containing a narrow bed. Cupboards, shelves, and drawers were built into the walls under and around the beds and windows, and in the middle of the floor was a table with four large cushions around it. She gave this room only a cursory inspection; the only objects it held besides furnishings were a few well-worn picture books and some small, colorful paintings of animals.

Once she finished going through that room, she went to the adjacent room. Opening it, we stepped inside to a vividly colorful room. The walls were painted a lurid cerise with bright orange trim. The linens and textiles in the room were in so many shades of red, pink, and orange, I thought my eyes would bleed. Avani glanced at me as I raised a hand to partially cover my eyes, and said, sympathetically, “You can wait outside, if you would like. This was Kokila’s room. I just need to pack her things to send to her.”

“No wonder she was crazy. It was probably the color scheme,” I groaned as I hastily left, closing the door as Avani laughed. I leaned against the wall outside the room and examined the pictures and mementos on the walls and shelves as I waited.

After several minutes, she emerged, piles of clothing and other goods in her arms. I grabbed part of her load and we took them downstairs to place in cloth sacks. Then we returned upstairs, and Avani went to the third and final door. She stood for a long moment, her hand on the door handle. I put a hand on her shoulder, and I could feel her trembling. Then she steeled herself and opened the door.

The room was almost restful to my eyes after the visual assault of the previous room. It was dimly lit; the sole window looked to the east. The walls were covered in carved wood panels from the floor to the ceiling. It was not a small room, but the large, high bed dominated it nonetheless. As with most of the furniture in the house, it was crafted of wood that was nearly black with age. The headboard, footboard, posts, and canopy arches were all heavily carved with great skill—almost lace-like in its intricacy. Sheer embroidered curtains hung from rails along either side of the canopy, and a brightly colored, embroidered coverlet was spread across the bed—the only really colorful item in the entire room. The only other furniture was a small table on either side of the bed and a bench at the foot.

Quickly turning her back to the bed, Avani went to one of the wooden panels. Pressing against a piece of the carven trim, the panel popped open to reveal a cupboard, from which she removed a casket. Opening it, she held up a slender golden chain, then dropped it back in. She held the box out to me to take a look, knowing my curiosity, and I glanced at the contents—jewelry and other accessories, made of gold and assorted gems.

She shrugged as I looked up at her. “It’s mostly either jewelry that passed down from his family to me when we married, or wedding gifts. I don’t care about them at all—I’ll give them away or something.”

Next she opened a high cabinet, the door of which was made of several panels. Inside were several colorful items of clothing as well as many articles of solid, unadorned black. As she began to sort through the clothing, I looked around the room, trying to imagine Bhima living in a place like this. Then I remembered—I’d wanted to ask her something, but recent events had driven my question out of my mind, until now. I sat down on the bench and watched her for a minute, then said, “Tell me, what was it that you showed those two women last night that had them so… unnerved?”

She froze, her back stiffening. Then she dropped the blouse in her hand to the floor and slowly turned to me, her face pale. “The truth,” she said in a soft voice. I looked at her curiously, and she walked over to yet another panel and opened it. She lifted out a handful of items, then dropped them onto the foot of the bed for me to see before walking to another cupboard. Looking down, I saw ropes, chains, and shackles of varying sizes—some of which were speckled with dark reddish-brown stains. As I was still trying to come to grips with the display before me, she returned with a small chest in her hands.

Made of heavily carved black wood, it was fastened closed with a bronze clasp. She handed the chest to me, then returned the ropes and chains to their place before sitting on the edge of the bed, her back to me. I opened the chest, and as I looked over the contents, I felt my skin crawl.

The first thing that caught my eye was a small knife of watered steel, the blade tucked into a hardened leather sheath. The handle looked just small enough to fit comfortably in a large man’s hand, and when I unsheathed it, I saw that the blade was small—a little shorter than the length of my thumb—and wedge shaped. It looked sickeningly sharp, and then I noticed that the leather-wrapped handle was spattered with more red-brown stains. I quickly sheathed the blade and dropped it back into the box.

Hearing the knife drop, Avani quickly rose and peered into the box. Lifting out a small, stoppered phial, she sighed in relief. “Be careful not to break this. It’s… it’s a powerful acid. It’s dangerous.” Then she set it carefully back in the box, her face expressionless, and resumed her seat. I watched as she sat there, her back still to me, and I could see the tension in every line of her body.

“My Lady… would you rather I not look further?” I asked, closing the lid partway.

She started, then shook her head, still facing away from me. “It’s all right. You… you said you wanted to know all about me. So unless you’ve changed your mind, and you’d rather _not_ know….”

I looked down at the lid of the box, thinking that the pretty, delicate carvings of fruit and flowers were ridiculously at odds with its contents. Much like Bhima himself, I supposed, who admittedly had been very striking in appearance, yet despite his outward beauty, he was far and away the most evil man I’d ever met. Then I opened the lid once again.

The next thing that caught my attention was a small brass box with a candleholder set in the lid. Opening it, I found it was a tinder box; several candles and stubs were scattered throughout the contents of the chest. There was a small glass jar with a cork stopper, full of some brilliant yellow powder, and another filled with some thick paste. A few strips of bamboo, some of which were stained yellow, a tiny mortar and pestle, and several loops of some kind of cord. Most of these were just a light tan color, but one had been dyed a poisonous green. I held it up and asked what it was, and why only one was colored.

Turning to look, Avani swallowed visibly, her face looking even whiter than before. “It… those are catgut. He used them as… as restraints.”

“Catgut?” I said, dropping them quickly back into the chest, a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.

She nodded. “I don’t know why it’s called that—it’s made from… from larger animals. Cows and sheep and such. Not cats. But it _is_ made from….” her voice trailed off as she turned away, pressing a hand to her mouth.

“I see…. And the one was dyed green because…?” I asked, despite my misgivings.

“It was a… special cord. He made it himself. From my pet cow—the same one whose hide he upholstered his chair with,” she replied, faintly.

I could see why those women had looked so ill. I was no stranger to death and carnage, yet I still felt more than a little queasy. As I was about to shut the lid, I noticed a few bits of some sort of hide—little fragments, and a few larger pieces that had curled into rolls as they dried. I was loathe to touch them, though, given the circumstances. So I asked if she would explain the contents to me—if she could bear to do so, that is.

After a little hesitation, she rose and walked over, sitting next to me on the bench. She took the chest from me, her hands trembling, and looked in. She first lifted out the phial of acid, saying, “He would use this to… to burn my skin. He’d let drops fall on me, and allow it to eat into my skin. It was incredibly painful—but not the worst thing he did.” Next she picked up the two jars, the mortar and pestle, and the bamboo scrapers. “The yellow powder is sulfur. He’d mix it with the tallow, then he’d paint lines of it onto me with the bamboo strips. After that, he’d light a candle and hold the flame to the sulfur mixture until it… until it caught fire. And then the flame would spread, burning all the sulfur and tallow and leaving his designs burned into my skin. That… that was worse than just the acid, mostly because it took so long—all that preparation, while I lay bound and helpless, knowing what was coming….” She shuddered and dropped it all back into the chest, and I put my arm around her, at a loss for words but wanting to comfort her as best I could.

“I already told you that he used the catgut for restraints,” she said after a few minutes of silence. “I think that, of all the things he did, this was… the worst,” she continued, picking up one of the pieces of hide between delicate fingertips.

“What is it?” I asked, fearfully.

Before answering, she reached in and pulled out the knife. “He… he would skin me, with this. Not entirely, of course—even with his healing skills, I don’t think I could have survived _that_. He’d just slice off a strip here and there. But you can’t imagine…. And then sometimes, when he was especially angry, he’d drip acid onto the raw spots.”

I sat there, shaken to the core by her disclosures. I unequivocally agreed with Dylas—a thousand deaths weren’t enough for Bhima. Before I could think of something to say, she rose, closed and fastened the lid, and returned the chest to the cupboard. Then she reached in and pulled out a large, heavy cloth of some sort—canvas, perhaps, or some similar material. She tossed it down on the bed and looked over at me. “This was the last thing that I showed them,” she said, and she spread out the cloth.

The cloth itself was not quite white in color. But the center of it was darkly stained with layer upon layer of different shades of deep red-brown, so thick in some places that it was cracking and flaking away. I stared at it, and she said, “This was the cloth he used to spread out under me, to prevent damaging the mattress and bedding. He would wash it now and then, though it seems as if he never washed it after its last use, the night before my departure.” Then she folded it up again and returned it to the cupboard with the chest, fastening the door closed afterward.

I sat down on the edge of the bed, feeling lightheaded. I could hardly believe it—it seemed so unreal, that anyone could be so barbaric, so… so sickeningly vicious, and to one as kind-hearted as Avani. It defied all reason—yet I had seen the evidence with my own eyes. Not that I had ever doubted her—but somehow seeing it made it all so much more… profound. Now I wished more than ever that I had been the one to kill him—and that I’d known just how slowly and agonizingly he needed to die. But then, I couldn’t blame Avani for wanting to claim him for herself, not after all he’d done to her.

I looked up at her as she stood trembling before the closed cupboard, and my heart ached for her as I realized that she was shaking not with fear, but with soundless tears. I went to her and embraced her, and she turned and wrapped her arms around me, burying her face into my chest as she finally broke down into heartrending sobs. I lifted her up and carried her over to the bed, where I sat down with her on my lap, holding her close and letting her cry herself out

As her tears finally began to subside, I tilted her chin up to me and kissed her. To my surprise, she responded needily, clinging to me tightly as she returned my kiss with increasing urgency. I pulled back a little, searching her eyes. “Perhaps this isn’t the best place for a romantic interlude, My Lady. Would you like to return to our room at your brother’s house?”

She buried her face into my neck, shaking her head vigorously. She whispered, “No, Leo. For once—just _once_ —I want something _good_ to happen to me here, in this room. Then maybe… _maybe_ I won’t feel so haunted by the memories anymore. Please?” She caressed my cheek and nuzzled my neck as she waited, tensely, for my reply.

After a brief hesitation, I leaned down to murmur into her ear, “Well, I never was one to deny your requests, my beloved wife.”

She stood and slipped out of her dress, letting it fall to the floor at her feet, then pulling me to my feet, she flipped the covers of the bed back to reveal smooth linen sheets, softened with use and age. Tugging at my clothing, she stood on tiptoe to reach me, kissing me eagerly as she slipped my vest off and slowly ran her hand down my stomach to my belt. She fumbled for a moment with the buckle in her haste, then loosened it and slid my trousers, belt and all, down past my hips, letting them drop to the floor next to her dress.

I slid my hands down her sides, then, grasping her hips, I pulled her firmly to me. As I pressed against her, my erection grew in both length and hardness, and she reached down to caress me through my boxers. She pushed me down onto the bed so that I was sitting, leaning back against the pillows. Then she climbed on and straddled my lap, leaning over to kiss my neck and face as she ran her fingers through my hair and caressed my chest and stomach, rubbing herself back and forth along my length. I reached around to her back and unfastened her bra, slipping it off her. Her breasts had been perfectly proportioned before, neither too large nor too small, but now they were very generous, round and full beneath my hands. I rolled the firm tips of her nipples between my fingertips as she moaned into my neck, nipping and sucking gently at my skin as she began to squirm eagerly against me.

Kissing down her neck to her breasts, I teased her nipples with my tongue, flicking it over and swirling it around each tip as her moans increased in urgency. Reaching down beneath the swell of her belly, I found that her panties were already damp from her anticipation, which only served to intensify my own. I pushed her off my lap and slipped off the bed, then pulled her to the edge of the bed. Tossing the pillows down behind her, I eased her back against them before kneeling in front of her. I slid her panties off, then gently probed her with the tips of my fingers, exploring her wetness before moving to her firm but sensitive nub. Little cries of pleasure escaped her lips as I began to gently trace circles around the crux of her arousal, then after a few moments, I leaned forward and tasted her piquant juices, caressing her with my tongue as she writhed and moaned, twining her fingers through my hair as she wrapped her legs around my shoulders. In what seemed like no time at all, she was arching her back, chanting my name as she reached her climax, shuddering as she pressed herself to me.

I continued caressing her gently as her tremors subsided, then I stood and leaned over her, kissing her mouth and face and neck. I slid my boxers off and slipped between her thighs, then I paused to look down into her half-lidded eyes. “Are you sure you want this, My Lady, here in this place? It’s not too late to change your mind.”

In answer, she reached up and grasped my hips, pulling me against her. The bed was high enough that I didn’t need to kneel, nor to raise her hips—she was at the perfect height for me. I leaned over her, planting my hands on either side of her waist, and as she wrapped her legs around my waist, I thrust into her.

She winced, as if in pain, and I immediately stopped, worried. “My Lady? Is something wrong? Am I hurting you?”

Shaking her head and squeezing her eyes tightly closed for a moment, she replied haltingly, “No, I’m just… still a little… a little sore… from… from Bhima. But _please_ don’t stop, Leo—it only hurts a little, really.”

I still hesitated, unwilling to cause her any pain, but she tightened her grip on me with her legs, drawing me in closer and closer until I thought I would go mad with the urge to possess her, to both fill and fulfill her completely, and I again slid out and thrust back in, slowly at first, but quickly picking up speed as I watched her, writhing with the pleasure that our union brought her, bringing me closer and closer to the edge with each thrust into her slippery embrace. As I drew closer to the peak, I grabbed her hips and thrust more firmly into her, and she gripped my arms tightly as she began to moan, biting her lip in concentration as she again approached her climax. She arched her back, pulling me tightly to her and digging her fingers into my forearms as she cried out in ecstasy, quivering with each thrust. Reaching the peak of my own climax, I groaned and called out her name, waves of pleasure crashing over me as I emptied myself into her depths, and then I collapsed forward and next to her, shaky from the intensity of my release.

I barely noticed her tugging at me after a few minutes, coaxing me to lie alongside her on the bed, nor did I notice her drawing the covers over us as I nuzzled her neck, falling asleep almost instantly as we lay in each other’s arms. We both slept soundly and without dreaming while the daylight dwindled and shadows deepened into evening.


	75. Chapter 75

By the time we returned to Rishi’s house, it was nearly dark and the slender crescent moon was just peeking over the treetops to the east. We had bundled together everything she wanted to take from the house and brought it along with us—the few possessions Avani wished to keep as well as her former mother-in-law’s possessions.

She had asked the guards to return at sundown, so when we stepped out the front door, we found one guard on duty while the other sat on the veranda, resting while he awaited his turn for guard duty. She thanked them both, saying would finish tomorrow, and then we left.

As we opened the door to Rishi’s house, we could hear raised voices coming from somewhere towards the back. Looking at each other, startled and a little alarmed, we dropped everything and hurried towards the commotion. We found everyone, including Arthur and Forte, in a small sitting room adjacent to Rishi’s study, and Dylas was shouting.

“Yeah, I’ve _seen_ how well she can take care of herself, firsthand! Getting herself kidnapped and being ambushed by conspirators—and _that’s_ just the past few days! They’ve been gone for _hours_ —why aren’t you all _worrying_ about her?”

“Well, for one thing,” Arthur said, drily, as he glanced towards us, “she’s standing right behind you.”

Dylas whirled around, his crimson face draining to white before flushing again as he found himself face to face with us.

“Nice to see you have such confidence in my abilities,” Avani commented drily.

I briefly considered adding my voice to hers, but I realized that he didn’t mean to disparage either her abilities or mine—he was just concerned, and expressing himself with his usual savoir faire. So instead, I just stood back and let them sort things out between them. I’d learned that was _usually_ the best course of action with the two of them.

As it turned out, it didn’t take long at all. Dylas stared at her for a minute, then his eyes softened, and he simply said, “I’m glad to see you’re all right. But just… just try not to worry me like that, okay?”

Avani’s eyes opened wide in surprise, and she nodded, struck speechless by his change in demeanor.

Rishi stood and smiled. “Ah, my love, I’m glad you’ve returned. I’m afraid you’re too late for our evening meal, but I’m sure Dulari can find something for you two in the kitchen. Unless you’ve already eaten elsewhere?”

I grinned at Avani and said, “Well, only in a manner of speaking,” enjoying the way she blushed as she tried unsuccessfully to glare at me.

* * *

 

At breakfast the next morning, Avani said that she was more or less finished with Bhima’s house, other than ridding herself of those things she’d marked for destruction. Next she wanted to take a look at Sundara’s house, if I could join her. I readily agreed, and she turned to Dylas, Chanda, Arthur, and Forte to ask if they’d care to come with us. Chanda and Dylas accepted her offer, but Arthur declined, saying he and Forte needed to return to Selphia as soon as possible to report to his father, the King. So after breakfast, we bid Arthur and Forte farewell, assuring them that we’d return as soon as we could.

Before we left, Avani packed cleaning supplies and a few cloth sacks into her backpack, and she asked Sharmila to arrange for a servant to deliver Kokila’s possessions to her, so that she needn’t see her again so soon after their last confrontation. Then the four of us started off towards Sundara’s house.

We headed west along the dirt road through the village, and this time, instead of stopping and turning back at the edge of the village, Avani just hesitated briefly, standing with eyes closed for a moment before stepping into the lush growth of the tropical forest.

I hadn’t yet had much opportunity to walk in the dense rainforest that shrouded those hills, so I enjoyed doing so now. The wealth of smells, sights, and sounds were like a feast to my senses: damp, dark earth, rich with leaf mould; the perfumes of a thousand colorful tropical flowers and fruits; the green scent of growing things; animal scents and sounds; the buzzing of insects; the chatter of rainbow-colored birds; vines cascading from huge tree limbs like living green waterfalls; and now and again, a glimpse of cerulean sky gleaming through the gaps in the verdant canopy above.

We strolled along the path, which meandered uphill and down, but never with a lengthy or steep incline. All in all, it was a lovely walk, and I was almost sorry to see it end. That is, until I saw the house itself.

Nestled like a brilliant jewel into the emerald green of dense vines and overgrown shrubs was a house, painted the intense blue of a peacock’s breast. Stone steps, overgrown with some tiny, beflowered creeper that had sprung up in the crevices, led up to the front door, which was a work of art in itself. Painted in shades of green, blue, and bronze, it resembled the tip of a peacock feather, with a small round window centered in the eye. The roof, which I saw needed at least a few minor repairs at first glance, was made of curved, overlapping red clay tiles and extended beyond the veranda.

Avani stopped at the bottom of the steps, looking up at the house for a moment before slowly climbing to the front door. She pulled a key from her belt pouch, then unlocked the door and pushed it open.

It was clear that no one had lived in this house for some time, though it seemed that someone had at least cleaned and aired it from time to time. But it had the stale, musty smell of a house that has been left unused for too long, and I felt my nose tickle in response to the fustiness.

“It’s going to take more work than I hoped,” Avani said, sadly, as she looked around. It clearly had been a charming house once, and perhaps could be again with some care and effort. As I went around the house, throwing open doors and windows to let the fresh, clean air in, I wondered what Avani intended to do with it once she’d cleaned it up.

It was smaller than Bhima’s house, yet despite its neglect, it still seemed like a more cheerful, comfortable home. Downstairs was a small entry, a modest kitchen, a bathing room with a tiny water closet in it, and a large sitting-dining room, with cushion-filled alcoves lining the walls and a low table surrounded by more cushions in the middle of the floor. Upstairs, there was just two bedrooms of moderate size.

When I returned downstairs after opening the bedroom doors and windows, I found Avani had stepped out back. I joined her as she looked around a small, badly overgrown yard, surrounded by mango trees and pomegranate shrubs. Her eyes were sorrowful, and she appeared to be searching for something.

“Are you looking for something?” I asked as I walked up to her. “Can I help?”

She shook her head slowly. “No, not really. I was just remembering…. This is where he kept his peacocks. I wonder what became of them after… after he died. He only had the one pair left by then. He’d had a pair of green peacocks, too, but… but Bhima killed them. As a warning, to us both.” She shivered, rubbing her arms vigorously as if suddenly chilled. “I suppose when he didn’t come back, they returned to the wild. I was just hoping…. I guess I was hoping to find some trace of them. Or really, of _him_. But… there’s nothing. Nothing left of him at all here. Only memories.” Tears began to trickle down her cheeks as she stared intently into the branches of the trees, then she turned and walked slowly towards the house as I followed.

After just a few steps, she suddenly stopped and exclaimed as she leaned down, peering at something in the tall grass. When she stood, she held a small white feather in her fingertips. She looked at me, surprised by her find, and I saw it was a small, white peacock feather. She looked at it again, and shrugged. “I wonder where this came from?” she asked. “Sundara’s been gone for six years now, and he never kept white peafowl here.”

“Well, I suppose it was just from a wild peacock. What else _could_ it be?” I asked.

“I guess… but they’re fairly rare, at least around here. But like you said….” She shook her head, twirling the feather in her fingers, then we returned to the house.

* * *

 

Dylas and Chanda, meanwhile, had begun to clean. Dylas had immediately tackled the kitchen, and was cleaning out cupboards and cabinets filled with cobwebs, spiders, and moths. Chanda, who evidently was a practical soul, started first on the water closet and bathing room, getting them cleaned and usable. Avani asked if I’d collect all the washable linens—bed, bath, and kitchen—and bring them downstairs, and then gather up all the rugs and take them outside. Meanwhile, she began to dust and scrub in the sitting room, going through the contents of shelves and cabinets as she went. When I returned to collect the rugs from the room, she was standing there, holding a beautiful stringed instrument, painted like a peacock feather.

She smiled wistfully at me as I walked in, and showed the instrument to me. “This was his sur-mandal,” she explained. “He played it so beautifully.” She carefully set it back on the shelf with a sigh, and continued cleaning while I finished my task.

We stopped at midday to rest and eat a meal. The house was now clean, the rugs beaten until they were free of dust and grime, the linens and clothing that were deemed salvageable had been washed and were hanging to dry in the warmth of the tropical afternoon. We sat on the front veranda, eating the lunch that Sharmila’s cooks had packed for us and enjoying the light breeze in the shade of the roof.

After lunch, we worked on the exterior of the house. Dylas and I climbed up and examined the roof to determine how badly damaged it was, while Chanda tackled the tall grass of the yard with a small, sharp sickle and Avani began to prune the vines and shrubs back. It turned out that the deck of the roof was still in fine condition, but many of the tiles had been damaged by storms and needed to be replaced—otherwise the deck would suffer for it and need replacement, too.

Chanda escorted Dylas and me to the village potter’s house, and we found he had a small stockpile of suitable tiles. I purchased the number needed, as well as a few extras in case of breakage. When we returned, Dylas and I climbed back up to affix the new tiles while Chanda retrieved her sickle and returned to cutting grass. Avani had finished taming the shrubs and vines, meanwhile, and moved on to cleaning up the stone steps.

By the time the sun was beginning to dip below the tree line, we had done all we could do for the time. Avani said that the mattresses would need to be cleaned and stuffed with fresh material, and that the upholstery needed some attention as well. But that, she said, could wait until the house was once again occupied. So, tired and grimy, we returned along the dusky path to the village and to Rishi’s house. Avani had kept a few mementos that were especially important to her, such as Sundara’s instruments, but she’d left the majority of the household goods and décor back at the house.

We arrived with just barely enough time to bathe and change into clean clothing before the evening meal was ready. I was growing accustomed to the dazzling array of dishes provided here among the Ventuani, and to the heady fragrance of spices that permeated the kitchen. However, as I helped myself to some small, sweet fish swimming in a highly-seasoned sauce, I suddenly found myself homesick for the simple pleasures of home—not least of which was my favorite food, grilled fish. Still, the meal was delightful as always, and the conversation pleasant. No matter what was happening, it appeared to be a house rule—if not a tribal custom—that any discussion at meals should be kept light, lively, and entertaining.

After the meal, we sat around nibbling fruit and sipping hot tea, and our talk turned to more serious subjects. Avani looked around the room, her eyes finally coming to rest on her brother. She hesitated, seeming as though she wanted to speak, yet her eyes softened as she watched him, as they always did.

At last, she took a deep breath and spoke. “Rishi, my love, I think it’s time for us to leave. I’ve looked over my properties, and I’ve thought long and hard about what I wish to do with them. Today, while cleaning Sundara’s house, I reached my decision.”

“Is this so, my sister? I can’t say so soon, I suppose, since this has been far from an idyllic holiday for you. Yet I will miss you terribly when you are gone. Leon and Dylas, too, will be missed.” He sighed, took a sip of his tea, then continued. “Well, then, what is it you wish to do? Will you retain one to live in?”

“No, brother dear. This is no longer my home. I love you well, and Sharmila and Chanda, too, as well as many others of the tribe. But although I am a Ventuan by blood, I am no longer _of_ the Ventuani. Selphia is my home now—it’s where I belong. Where _we_ belong—me, Leo, and our children.” She straightened up, took a sip of tea, and looked around at everyone again. “I’ve decided that I would like to turn over Bhima’s house to the tribe, to be used as a school for Avanani and Earthmates to hone their skills. Bhima’s house is large—by our standards, anyway—and well-maintained. He has quite a bit of land of very good quality, and large, sturdy stables. The house could be turned into a dormitory for students to live in, and any crops beyond what is used to supply their needs could be given to the less fortunate or to the temple. What do you think?”

Everyone looked at each other, surprised by her suggestion. After a moment, Sharmila said, “I think that sounds like a lovely idea, my dear, if it could be implemented. Do you mean the school to be just for the tribe?”

Avani shook her head. “No—if Rishi is serious about bringing the tribe out of seclusion and joining the Kingdom, then I believe such a school would appeal to videziya Earthmates wishing to learn more of our ways.”

I said, “Well, My Lady, that sounds like a fine plan. Who would run this school?”

She hesitated, then said, “I… I’d hoped that Rishi or Sharmila would oversee it, or appoint someone to do so. You both will be in a better position than me to know who would be a good candidate and who would not.”

Rishi nodded. “I like this plan of yours, love. We will see to it that your wishes are carried out. Now… about Sundara’s house?”

“Well, it happens I know of someone who has been all but dispossessed, who has nowhere to go, no place to call her own.” Looking over at Chanda with a fond smile, she said, “So I would like to give the house and its contents to Chanda kumari Zitamaya, my dear friend.”

Opening her eyes wide in shock, Chanda opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. Instead, tears began to slip down her cheeks as she stared, mouth agape, at her benefactor.

“I can’t see why she’d want to live here at _all_ , seeing how some people treat her,” Dylas muttered. Chanda shot him a dirty look, but Avani nodded her head in agreement.

“Yes, I agree, and of course she may choose to leave. Certainly she will find a warm welcome in Selphia. But just having a house of her own will make a world of difference to her. She can choose to live here quite comfortably, if she wishes, or she can sell it or lease it and use the money to move anywhere she wishes.”

She stood up and walked over to her friend, and kneeling next to her, she took Chanda’s hands in hers and looked into her eyes for a moment before enfolding her in an affectionate embrace. “You’re young, dear Chanda, and the world’s your oyster. Now it’s up to _you_ to find the pearls.”

Chanda clung to her, weeping with joy and disbelief as she murmured over and over, “A house—a home of my own… my very own house!”

After a few moments, Avani rose and returned to her seat. I looked at her thoughtfully, and said, “Do you really wish to return so soon, My Lady? You’ve not seen your family and friends in so long, and there’s no real need to rush. For my part, I have not yet seen the temple of the Seers, which I should very much like to do—I’ve heard about the library there, and no doubt I could spend days perusing it. And I find the countryside here enchanting; I would enjoy spending more time exploring the environs, as well.”

Avani looked stricken by my speech, and shook her head. “Leo, right now all I want is… is….”

“Yes, beloved? What is it that your heart desires?” I asked her with a smile, taking her hand in mine.

Tears filled her eyes as she spoke in a voice choked by emotion. “All I want is… is to go _home_! I miss it, Leo—I miss our home, my farm, my animals… I miss visiting with our friends, fishing in Dragon Lake, celebrating festivals… I miss it all. It’s been so long since anything was… was _normal_ , and I just want to go home and live quietly, at least for a while.” She put her hands over her face, and her shoulders shook as she wept with the sudden, unbearable longing that is homesickness.

I put my arm around her shoulder and kissed her hair, then I whispered into her ear, “As you wish, My Lady.”


	76. Chapter 76

I was awakened in the stillness of the night by Avani. “There is one last thing I want to do before we go,” she said as she reached for her clothing. “Will you come with me, Leo?”

“Of course, My Lady,” I said, stifling a yawn as I stood to dress.

We left as silently as we could, trying not to disturb anyone as we passed. We first went to the kitchen, where Avani grabbed some fresh fruit, a few boiled eggs, flatbread, a small pot of honey, and a stoppered bottle of fruit juice. Placing it all into her rucksack, she shouldered her pack and we went on our way—wherever that was.

She led me out of the village on the same path we had taken to Sundara’s—now Chanda’s—house, but we turned a different way at one of the many forks. Instead of meandering a short ways along the hillside, this path climbed upwards fairly steadily, though it was not an exceedingly steep path.

The forest was pitch-black at that hour, and even my enhanced vision could not penetrate very far. The moon was as yet too slender to cast much light, and what little it did provide was unable to penetrate the dense canopy above. I paused as we stepped into the inky darkness and asked if we should carry lanterns. But Avani murmured, “No, that’s not wise. Although few predators hunt near the village, we do get some now and then. And it’s best to try not to draw their attention with the light. If it becomes necessary, I can cast a light spell. However, I can—and have—walked these paths with my eyes closed. So take my hand, and I’ll guide you. Just go slow, and take care where you place your feet.”

We made our way through the forest slowly, my other senses compensating for the loss of visual cues. I heard shrill cries and the rustling of leathery wings as bats flew overhead, the scurries and squeaks of small rodents, and the chatter and calls of numerous crepuscular animals and birds unknown to me. Somewhere in the far distance I heard a loud shriek followed by squawks and barking cries, and, startled, I jumped. “The leopard hunts,” Avani commented, as she paused to listen. “But he hunts far from here, so we needn’t worry.”

After we’d hiked for quite some time, Avani cautioned me that we were approaching a steep section of the path. The ground shifted beneath our feet as we scrambled up, slipping on fallen flowers and leaves and loose soil. Avani kept a firm grip on my hand, though, and we helped each other to climb up. When we reached the top, I saw an opening in the trees, and the pale grey of pre-dawn lay just beyond.

I stepped between the parted trees into the dim light—though it was bright in comparison to the forest behind us. Looking around, I saw that we were on a relatively open, fairly flat spot on the side of the hill. The ground was covered with soft grass where I stood, but up ahead it gave way to bare rock. I walked to the edge and looked out, awestruck by the view before me.

Emerald green hills covered in lush forest undulated as far as I could see, like velvet cushions thrown down by the gods for their repose. The sky was a deep blue still, nearly black, but just above the hills before me, the edge of the sky was just beginning to lighten.

Looking back, I saw Avani had sunk to the ground and just sat there in silence, her eyes closed. I turned and walked back over to her and sat on the ground next to her. Pulling a pair of mangoes from her bag and handing one to her, I said, "This place is lovely, with a magnificent view. But I assume you didn't come here just to admire the scenery."

She shook her head, then leaned against me as I put an arm around her. “No. I wanted to come here because… this was where Sundara died. I… I wanted to let him know that, well… that I’m okay.

“You see, Bhima’s abuse had gotten worse and worse as he grew increasingly angry with me for continuing to see Sundara. He somehow figured out that we’d continued to meet privately. Looking back, I suspect he just followed me—he was a good tracker, and could move silently when he chose. If he _did_ follow me, I had no idea he was there.

“Anyway, I had arranged to meet Sundara one last time, to tell him I had to stop seeing him, that the abuse was getting to be more than I could take. So we went for one last walk, and ended up here. But Bhima had either followed us or somehow guessed we’d come there, and he found us.

“He attacked Sundara, who had no weapons training at all—he was a musician, not even trained as an Avanan. I tried to stop him, but I was only eighteen and nowhere near strong enough. Then Sundara fell and tumbled down to the edge and over. I managed to catch hold of him, but I wasn’t strong enough to pull him up. He… he told me to let go, that I couldn’t save him, and that it was the only thing he could do to save me. He told me to live to see a happier day, and that, if Ventu permitted, he’d watch over me. And then… then he let go of my hand.

“I swore to him afterwards that I would live, believing in his vision of a happier life for me even though I couldn’t see any hope of it then. But somehow… it happened all the same. And I wanted him to know.” Then she rose and walked to the edge of the precipice and looked down, and I followed.

Gazing down, I saw far below us a wide, blue lake, still dark in the fading shadows of night. “This is where he fell,” Avani said, as we stood looking down. “That lake below us is shallow and rocky. He struck a boulder at the edge of the water and died. I don’t remember anything for a little while afterwards—I don’t know if I fainted, or if it was the shock.” She sighed and turned her head to look eastwards, to where delicate shades of pink and lavender and blue had begun to tint the hem of the sky. She murmured, as if to herself, “Ventu’s sunrise kingdom,” then leaned forward to look over the edge once again.

As she gazed quietly down at the shallow lake far below, a white bird flew down from I know not where and perched on her shoulder, startling us both. As it settled, I saw it was a peacock—a pure white peacock. He next hopped to the ground and strutted towards me, raising his covert feathers and fanning them out brashly as he regarded me with a brilliant blue eye. Pacing before me, he looked me up and down as if considering me, making up his mind about me. After a few minutes, he stopped, lowered his long, elegant feathers,  and bobbed his head, almost as if bowing to me. Then he flew back to Avani's shoulder, and as he settled there, he caressed her cheek with his own, looking for all the world like an adored pet expressing affection for its beloved mistress.

After a few moments, he launched himself from his perch, spreading his wings for flight. He soared away to the east, towards the sun just as it began to peek over the tree-covered hills. And while I couldn't swear that I didn't just lose him in the dazzling sunlight, it seemed to me that he simply vanished.

I looked over at Avani, who stood staring into the sunrise, and her cheeks were wet with tears as she whispered, "Thank you." She turned to look back at me, and though her smile was sweet, her eyes were full of mingled grief and wonder. Then she took my hand in hers, and together we slowly started down the long, winding path that lay ahead.

* * *

 

I carefully blotted my last words, then blew to dry the ink before closing the large, thick, leather-bound journal and pushing it back. I felt a light touch on my shoulder, and I reached up to take Avani’s hand as I turned to look at her as she stood behind me, smiling down with her eyes as well as her lips.

“The children are taking a nap,” she said in a low voice. “Is _this_ your letter?”

“Yes,” I said with a grin. “It’s grown a bit, hasn’t it?” Seeing her curiosity, I turned it towards her. “You can take a look, if you wish.”

Her eyes sparkling, amused that I was so easily able to interpret her moods, she lifted the cover and read the first few lines, her eyes moving rapidly down the page. She raised an eyebrow now and again as she skimmed through it, reading a paragraph here, a page there… laughing at some half-forgotten anecdote or sniffling slightly, her eyes tearing, as the words recalled to her some poignant memory. Finally she closed it and looked at me, her expression one of confusion.

“It’s lovely, Leo. But I thought you meant this to be a letter to Maria, telling her all about _your_ life—this is more about _me_ than about _you_!”

I pushed my chair back and drew her down onto my lap to give her a kiss. Nuzzling my cheek against her silky hair, I replied, “Well, My Lady, your story _is_ my story. Our lives are forever and inextricably intertwined now.”

Turning that shade of rosy pink I so loved to see, she nestled against me, putting her arms around my neck as she gazed at the large tome on the desk.

“Is it done, then?” she asked after a moment.

“I certainly hope not,” I said with a chuckle. “I hope to fill many more volumes before _our_ story is finished.”

Stifling a laugh, Avani said, “Well, if this is going to be one of your ‘letters carried on the wind,’ it’s going to take quite a gale to deliver it!”

I pulled her closer to me, and began to nibble at her neck as I murmured, “Well, why not? After all, the winds blow just as strong through the past, present, _and_ future….”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this story.


End file.
